Coby's Choice
by SwordOfTheGods
Summary: The evil "Ax-Hand" Morgan was the first marine Coby ever encountered, shattering his world view. If a pirate is the first one to ever show you kindness in a world run by a corrupt justice, who do you follow? Well, the future King of the Pirates, of course! Pirate!Coby, Eventual DevilFruit!Coby, SlightlySerious!Luffy, expanded crew, Parings. Current Arc: Strong World
1. The Choice

**Hello, everyone! My name is SwordOfTheGods and welcome to _Coby's Choice_! This is something I've been cooking up for a long time now and I've finally reached the point where I told myself that I would post. As of right now, I have 82 complete chapters and one Omake written, all of them a minimum of 2k words (with the exception of this opening chapter and said Omake). I plan on updating twice a week, but being a college student is hard, so I might post early if I need a pick-me-up. Anyway, I'm sure you don't care for Author's notes, so I'll get on with it. Here We Go!**

 **Also a warning. _There will be death, cursing, and mild gore in this story, but that's mostly after getting to the Grand Line. You have been warned._**

* * *

 **Summary: With his faith in the Marines destroyed due to the actions of Ax-Hand Morgan, Coby chooses to follow a new dream: to help Luffy become the Pirate King! How will this one change alter the crew and all their adventures? Eventual DevilFruit!Coby** *Inspired by _Luffy's Renewed Adventure_ by  F-ckthesystem125

East Blue Arc: Chapters 1-18

Baroque Works/Alabasta Arc: Chapters 19-42

Skypia Arc: Chapters 49-61

Water7/Enies Lobby Arc: Chapters 66-82,

* * *

 **Chapter 1:**

 **The Choice**

* * *

Wealth, fame, power.

Gol D. Roger, the King of the Pirates, obtained this and everything else the world had to offer, and his dying words sent countless souls to the seas:

"You want my treasure? You can have it! I left everything I gathered together in one place. Now you just have to find it!"

These words lured men to the Grand Line in pursuit of dreams greater than they'd ever dared to imagine. This is the time known as the Great Pirate Era.

* * *

"Hey, you," said the marine, a man with a deep tan, a black mustache/beard combo, and a green ascot on his uniform, as he stared at Coby's back. "Aren't you part of the crew as well?" The boy in question was short and pudgy with large round glasses, blue eyes, pink hair, and a white and blue shirt with blue shorts. He froze under the scrutinizing gaze of the man, looking for his voice. His answer would change not only his life, but many others as well.

As Coby racked his brain for a response, the people around the room remained focused on him. The two official members of the Straw Hat Pirates, as well as the marines that had come to kick them out of Shells Town, were standing. The captain of said crew, Monkey D. Luffy, was a wiry 17-year-old with black eyes, a mop of black hair, and a small scar under his left eye. The teen's wardrobe consisted of a pair of open-toed sandals, jean-shorts, and a red vest. Finally, atop his head was his greatest treasure, the hat for which his crew were named.

His only other crewmate was the infamous Roranoa Zoro, a man with short green hair and black eyes. Covering the swordsman's form were a plain-white, dust-covered shirt and dark-green pants with the bottoms stuffed into black boots. A bandana the same color as his pants was tied around his left bicep and around his waist was a light-green haremaki with three swords stuck in the loop placed on the man's right side.

Behind the bar's counter were the female owner of the establishment and her daughter, Rika. The little girl, who could be no more than seven, was like a miniature version of her mother. Both had brown hair, a fair complexion, and big brown eyes. And both were waiting for Coby's answer.

"Well... I, uh... I," he stammered. Should he deny even knowing Luffy, the man who had rescued him from the torment that the Pirate Alvida had put him through for more than two years? Or would he say yes? Doing so could brand him as a criminal, a wanted man, someone who could never work for the Marines unless he obtained the title of Warlord. By the door, Luffy turned away to exit, a bag of food resting over his shoulder. He was quiet, waiting to see if the boy's answer would happen before he left.

"Hold it," the Marine man ordered. Luffy stopped. "Is he with you or what?"

"What I _can_ tell you is what he's been busy doing up to this point," the teen pirate responded in a happy tone. Coby turned with a shocked look on his face. "Yeah! There was this fantastically-fat pirate lady! I think her name was Al-"

"Stop!" Coby yelled, coming to one conclusion. If Luffy was going to tell them about his past, about Alvida, then there was no way he would ever be allowed to join the Marines. But would that be such a bad thing? Everyone looked at the pink-haired boy. He steeled himself before continuing. "I... I am part of their crew!" Zoro blinked in surprise while Rika and her mother gasped in shock. This boy had been talking about joining the Marines not five minutes ago and now he was claiming to be a pirate?

The marine raised an eyebrow. "So you admit to being a member of this man's pirate crew?"

"Yes," Coby nodded, trying to ignore his shaking legs. "I-I had always wanted to be a marine, but after seeing what Morgan did using his authority as a Marine Captain, I don't want any part in that. Not anymore. So instead of being a marine, I'll follow Luffy-san to see him become the King of the Pirates!"

Luffy smiled. "Shishishishi. That's assuming I want you on my crew."

"You don't want me?" Coby cried out in a meek voice as tears started to form in his glasses-covered eyes. He'd risked his future. Was it over for him already? Luffy's unique laughter answered him.

"Shishishi. I'm just joking, Coby. No need to cry. I'd love to have you on my crew." The boy smiled again, but the marine spoke once more.

"Then I'm afraid I must ask you all to leave. We will not report you because of what you've done for our town, but we cannot have you stay." Luffy and Coby took their cue to exit and joined Zoro at the door before making their way through the streets.

The people of Shells Town thanked them as they passed, showing their happiness over the defeat of the wretched Ax-Hand Morgan. Luffy smiled and waved, laughing at the peoples' exuberance. Zoro stayed passive while Coby considered what he had just done to himself. He had only known Luffy for a day at most and he'd already pledged his life to the energetic, hat-wearing teen. Though he'd still known him longer than Zoro...

"Hey, Captain Luffy?" Coby asked, getting the rubber-man's attention. "Where are we going next?"

"To the docks."

"And after that?"

"I don't know," the captain answered, causing Coby to trip in surprise.

"You don't know?" the boy yelled as he rose and caught up to both the Devil Fruit user and the swordsman. "How can you not know? You're our captain, aren't you?" BONK. "Ow. Why did you hit me?"

"Felt like it. Plus you were asking too many questions. It was giving me a headache." By then, the three-man crew had reached the docks where their tiny lifeboat that Luffy and Coby had taken from Alvida's crew sat bobbing in the water. Zoro stepped in as Luffy undid the rope holding the craft to the shore and threw it into the dingy. They set off.

The boat was making its way out to sea, the slow waves moving the craft up and down. Behind them, the marines had lined up on the dock and were saluting the three. In front of them were Rika and her mother waving at the group and telling them to return some day.

"Men!" the man with the green ascot yelled. "Because our salute is in clear violation of Marine Protocol, we will not be allowed to eat for three days! Understood?"

"Yes, Sir!" Luffy and Coby waved to the men and women until the island was out of sight.

"Alright," Zoro yawned. "Now that we've set off, we've got some important things to do."

"Like finding out where we're going," Coby agreed.

"And finding a musician," Luffy nodded.

"We don't need a musician!" Zoro and Coby yelled in unison.

"Shishishi. Isn't this fun?" Luffy asked, smiling out into the distance. "This is our first voyage as a pirate crew!"

"It does look like it's shaping up to be one Hell of an adventure," Zoro commented, leaning back.

"And I'm going to become the Pirate King!"

"You keep saying that. Any reason why you want to?"

"Nope, but I made a friend a promise." Luffy reached up to hold his hat. "I promised to gather an amazing crew and to return this hat to him once I become the Pirate King, so that's what I'm going to do. Heh, it's funny, Coby. I'd meant to rile you up so you'd slug me and be allowed to join the Marines, not become a pirate, too."

"Really?" Coby questioned.

"Either way," Zoro sighed, "it seems we'll all need to become stronger if we want a place on your crew. Isn't that right Coby?"

"T-that's right! I'll become strong! I'll help Captain Luffy achieve his dream. That or we'll all die trying."

"I don't know about you two, but I don't plan on dying anytime soon. I need to become the world's greatest swordsman."

"The world's greatest swordsman?" Coby cried out in shock. "Then you would have to defeat Hawk-Eye Mihawk! That's impossible!"

"Any reason for your dream?" Luffy asked.

"Same as yours," Zoro shrugged. "Made a promise, now I've got to keep it."

"We still need to gather a crew first," Luffy pointed out. "Just wait. Grand Line, here we come!"

 **End of Chapter 1**

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 **Yeah, yeah. I know. It's really short. Don't worry; there are 160k+ words left in my devices.**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	2. Start of an Adventure

**Welcome to another chapter of _Coby's Choice_! This was updated right after the first chapter, so I have no idea what sort of responses the first one got, but who cares? (Hint: I do.) Anyway, onward we go!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2:**

 **Start of an Adventure**

"I'm hungry," Luffy whined for the fifteenth time in as many minutes, much to the ire of the boat's other awake occupant. They had been traveling for nearly two hours and their captain had eaten all the food they'd had from the village within half of that time. It only took that long because he was 'rationing'. Coby glanced at his compass and adjusted the sail's angle.

Apparently, the young boy was the only one of the three of them with any skill at navigating. Luffy had never bothered to learn while Zoro was completely stupid when it came to directions. This was proven when he claimed that they needed to move away from the sun because it was 5 o'clock and the sun rises forward and sets behind. Luffy then tried the argue that the S on the compass stood for Sun, so the sun was always in that direction. Their squabbling had lasted for a good ten minutes before Zoro decided to take a nap and Luffy started to whine about boredom. The conversation started to sound a little something like this:

"Coby, where's the food?"

"You ate it, Captain Luffy."

"Ate it? When did I-"

"An hour ago, Captain."

"But now I'm hungry again. Coby, do you know how to cook?"

"Not really. I can cook fish, but that's about it."

"If I caught a fish, could you cook it?"

"Not here."

"Why not?"

"We're in a boat."

"So?"

"Boats are made of wood."

"So?"

"Wood burns. The boat would catch fire and we'd either drown our burn to death."

"That doesn't sound fun."

"No, it do-"

"HEY LOOK! A BIRD! COME HERE YOU!" Luffy stretched his arm, latching onto the large, pink bird flying over the boat in an attempt the bring it down and eat it. What Luffy didn't anticipate was the size of the bird. It was larger than their dingy and barely registered Luffy grabbing on. The captain in question was lifted from the boat. "CRAP! HELP ME!"

"CAPTAIN LUFFY!" Coby cried out. Zoro, who had been woken by Luffy's initial call to the feathered animal, could only stare as the man that claimed he was going to become the Pirate King was carried away.

"Should we do something about that?" Zoro asked in a bored tone.

"YES!"

"Alright, alright. Geez, calm down, Shrimp. Grab an oar." As Zoro said this, Luffy was losing sight of the boat. Not that he was aware of the fact or truly cared. He was riding a bird, for Rodger's sake. Thoughts of both his tiny crew in a tiny boat and eating his transportation were overridden by the excitement of the wind whistling through his hair. There was a moment of panic where Luffy nearly lost his hat, but it was rectified by a single stretch of his arm. Back on the boat, Zoro and Coby were rowing as hard as they could.

And they weren't going anywhere.

Logically, when two people row together at the same time, a boat moves forward, but this is with the assumption that both are about the same size and with the same strength. Coby and Zoro were about as far apart in that regard as Reverse Mountain is from Fishman Island. The large strength gap caused them to move in one big circle.

"Dammit," Zoro cursed. "We lost him."

"I'm sorry," Coby whined. "It's all my fault. I knew I was just going to hold Captain Luffy back and now we've lost him because I'm so weak. I should just throw myself overbo- OW! Why did you hit me?"

"You were being too loud. Now calm down and give me that oar." Zoro grabbed the outstretched paddle and moved to the front of the ship. "Which way did he go?"

"Uh. If I remember correctly, the bird was moving northwest, so that way." Coby pointed over the port side. The swordsman began rowing at a speed Coby had thought impossible. The boy took hold of the mast in order to keep his footing and not fly off the speeding ship. They stayed that way for a few minutes.

Directly in their path were three men. The first was a ginger with hair that looked like a flattened afro. The second was a muscular, dark-skinned man. The third, who seemed to be the leader, had multiple ear piercings and was missing a couple of teeth. He also wore a black bandana with a skull-and-crossbones that had a large red nose and a flashy hat.

"You in the boat!" the man with the bandana called. "Help us!"

"I'm not stopping!" Zoro called back. "If you want in, grab on when I pass!" The men screamed as Zoro sped past, grabbing the side of the boat lest they be left behind in the middle of the ocean. They pulled themselves up and into the boat and came to rest on the deck, breathing heavily and dripping seawater. As soon as they had caught their breath, they pulled their swords from the sheaths on their belts.

"Heh, thanks for the save," the bandana-wearing man chuckled, "but we are taking this ship now. You see, we're with Buggy the Clown."

"B-B-Buggy the Clown?!" Coby screeched. "One of the most feared pirates in all of the East Blue?!"

"The very same," the man chuckled. He and his cronies advanced on the terrified boy and the impassive swordsman.

"Who's this 'Buggy the Clown' guy?" Zoro asked.

"You don't know who Buggy the Clown is?" Coby gasped. Zoro remained unmoved with the exception of his arms which were still rowing at his ungodly (for the East Blue) speed.

"No I don't. Is that a problem."

"It might be for your health," the man sneered, "if you don't give us the boat."

"I'd like to see you try," Zoro shot back.

"Zoro, maybe we should give them the boat. Better to live and find Captain Luffy later than to die here."

"Not a chance, Shrimp."

"Did he say 'Zoro'? As in R-Roranoa Zoro," the ginger man stuttered.

"The infamous pirate hunter?" the other man muttered fearfully.

"Oh, so you've heard of me?"

"Shut up, you fools," their leader hissed. "This can't be Roranoa Zoro. Why would he be out here looking for this 'Captain Luffy'? Plus any real pirate hunter would have heard of Captain Buggy."

"You're starting to get on my nerves," Zoro growled. He stopped rowing and prepped his swords. The men advanced.

(One short not-really-a-fight later)

"We're sowwy, Mr. Zowo," the bandana-wearing man apologized through a busted lip. Beside him, his partners had taken up rowing the boat. Luckily they could still use a paddle when both of their eyes were swollen shut. "We didn't thwink it wath you."

"Yeah, yeah," Zoro waved off. He was disappointed in the fight and was itching to cut something. "Just listen to the Shrimp's directions and you won't find yourselves stranded at sea again."

"Yeth thir!"

"Are we headed the right way, Shrimp?" Coby, who was hung up on seeing such threatening men beaten with so little effort, snapped out of his thoughts.

"Oh! Y-yes. I'm not sure how far it is to land, but we are moving in the direction we saw that bird take Captain Luffy."

"Good. I'm going to take a nap. Shrimp, if any of these morons make any suspicious moves, wake me up. I'll cut first and ask questions later." With that, Zoro sat on the deck and leaned against the wall, his arm wrapped around his swords protectively. Zoro gave the men one last glare before he closed his eyes and was soon snoring softly, leaving a scared Coby with the three terrified Buggy pirates.

* * *

 **Meanwhile**...

"AAAAAHHHH!" Luffy screamed. One moment he was flying high, the next an explosion caused his ride to plummet. He landed in a street in the middle of four people, kicking up an impressive cloud of dust. All four looked at him, expecting to see his mangled and broken body. What they did not expect was for him to stand and pat the dust off himself as if he fell from the sky every other day.

"Aww man," Luffy whined childishly. "I was having so much fun on that bird."

"Captain!" one of the figures exclaimed. She was an orange-haired girl dressed in a blue-and-white striped shirt, an orange skirt, and heeled sandals. "I'm so glad I found you! These men were trying to kill me! Could you take care of them?"

"Huh?" Luffy questioned.

"Thanks, Captain!" The woman scampered away, fully expecting the men to kill the dim pirate.

"So this is the captain of the bitch who stole our map?" one of the men wondered aloud.

"Doesn't look like much to me," another muttered. They advanced on the pirate with a straw hat...

And the first man was promptly thrown away by his extended fist. He collided with a building and slumped to the ground, unconscious. Luffy looked around, wondering where he was.

"What _is_ this guy?"

"Who cares? Kill him!" The remaining two advanced with swords raised, only to be stopped short with a call of "Gum-Gum Pistol!" They fell like sacks of potatoes.

"Hey, you," Nami called from a rooftop where she had climbed to watch the fight she had been expecting. "Uh, thanks. You're really strong. My name's Nami, by the way. Do you wanna team up?"

"Uh, no thanks, lady," Luffy waved off in a bored tone. "I think I'll pass." He turned and started to walk off.

"Hey wait!" Nami called as Luffy's stomach growled, giving the orange-haired thief an idea. "Can I invite you for a meal?"

* * *

 **Also** **meanwhile**...

"Captain!" a random pirate in a circus outfit shouted. "The bird has been shot down. We are sending men to retrieve the corpse to use it as part of our feast just as you ordered."

"Good," Buggy the Clown smiled menacingly. "It should have known what was going to happen, trying to be flashier than me with all those pink feathers. BWAHAHAHAHA! Now men let's-"

"Captain Buggy!"

"You do you think you are, flashily cutting me off! That's punishable by flashy death by Buggy Ball!"

"I'm sorry, Captain," the man cried out, "but I just received word that our map of the Grand Line has been stolen by a woman with orange hair!" Buggy's hand shot away from his wrist and locked around the crewmember's neck.

"What did you say?" Buggy asked in an eerily calm voice.

The man was gasping for air. "A-a woman w-with orange hair. Sh-she stole our map." Buggy dropped the pirate who curled up on the ground and took great heaving breaths.

"MEN!" the clown pirate roared. "FIND THAT WOMAN AND THE MAP! AND BRING ME THE FOOLS WHO LOST IT IN A CAGE! WE'LL HAVE A FLASHY EXECUTION!"

"YES SIR!"

 **End of Chapter 2**

* * *

 **I promise my writing gets better. we're still building up to the action.**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	3. Conflict With Buggy

**Chapter 3:**

 **Conflict with Buggy**

Monkey D. Luffy was seated at a table in an abandoned house in Orange Town, an empty plate sitting before him. Across from the rubber-man was Nami, the orange-haired thief he was trying to recruit to be his crew's navigator.

"Join my crew."

"I told you; I am not a pirate, I hate pirates, and I will never be a pirate."

"Come on. It'll be fun."

"No. Now listen here-"

"I want you on my crew, so you're on my crew."

"That's not how it works!"

"Come on!"

"I! Said! No!"

"Fine," Luffy huffed, sitting down. "Your loss." Nami walked over to the window. Outside, some men were arguing about finding a thief. A plan started forming in her head, one that might just rid her of this idiot pirate and get her away from Buggy along with all of his treasure.

"How about this?" she began slowly. "I'll agree to be your navigator if you agree to certain conditions..."

* * *

"What have we here?" Buggy the Clown questioned. Before him stood the woman who had stolen his stolen map of the Grand Line, said map clutched in her hand, and a black-haired boy tied up with rope and wearing a familiar straw hat. "What are you doing?"

"I'm tired of working for this guy," the girl answered, giving the boy a hard shove and causing him to fall on his face. "He's childish, immature, and treats the world like it's a game. I want to work for you instead."

"Really now?" Buggy's facial expression was unreadable. "What do you call yourself?"

"I'm Nami."

"Well... I guess this calls for a celebration to welcome our new member Nami!" The next few minutes flashed by far too quickly for Nami to follow. Music was played with off-key singing, food and booze were passed around, and the teen in the straw hat was thrown into a cage. The party stayed that way for a good ten minutes more before something truly interesting happened.

"Let's get this party amped up!" Buggy called. "Bring out the cannon!" The pirates cheered as a trio of them wheeled out a larger-than-average cannon from one of the crew's tents. They aimed it out over the town and loaded a red ball with Buggy's symbol on it into the weapon.

"Now bring out the idiots!" Next, the three men Nami had knocked unconscious when she'd taken the map were pulled out in a cage not unlike the one Luffy was currently in. They were placed in front of the cannon, their pleas for mercy unheeded by Buggy or his men. Nami waited as one of the crew lit the fuse with a match. They backed away and covered their ears. The girl from Cocoyashi Village could only watch in absolute horror at the destruction caused by the Buggy Ball.

One second there were three caged men and a row of houses. The next, nothing but rubble remained.

"W-what was that!?" she cried out.

"One of my special Buggy Balls," Buggy the Clown explained with a cruel smile. "With these and my Devil Fruit powers, I will flashily concur the Grand Line!"

"No way!" Luffy whined from his cage. "I'm the one who's going to concur the Grand Line! And then I'm going to become the King of the Pirates!"

"Bwahahaha!" Buggy laughed. "Not if you're dead. Now, Nami, fire the next one at your ex-captain. Kill him to prove your loyalty to me." The terrified thief was handed a box of matches as the oversized weapon was reloaded and repositioned.

"Fire!~ Fire!~ Fire!~" the crowd chanted.

"What are you waiting for?" Buggy prodded.

"Go on," Luffy ordered, startling the shaking teen. "Do you have the pirate's resolve?"

"To do what?" she demanded. "To kill without giving it a second thought?"

"No, to put your life on the line for your dreams and your morals." There was a tense silence between the two while Nami debated with herself internally. A greasy-looking pirate snatched the matches out of her hand, his patience for waiting gone.

"Here, little girl," the pirate smiled suggestively. "Let me show who how to have fun." He lit the match. Time seemed to slow down for the navigator. In an instant, she made her decision, pulled out her personal weapon, a bo staff, snapped all three pieces together, and slammed it into the top of the man's head. He went down, stars clouding his vision.

"So you chose your old captain after all," Buggy growled, not surprised but disappointed all the same. "Fine then. I'll just kill you both. Or, I'll just kill you. Your captain is done for anyway. Bwahahaha!" True to his word, the pirate had lit the fuse before Nami's surprise attack.

"Are you going to save me then?" Luffy perked up.

"Don't be stupid," the girl replied. "I'm not doing this for you. I just won't lower myself to the level of these inhuman pirates. Pirates took the life of someone I cared for; I'll never forgive them and never join them.

"Get out of the way!" a gruff voice ordered. Nami chose not to question it and dove away from the lit cannon. A second later, a slash of air cut through the fuse, leaving it to burn out on the ground harmlessly. The pirates and thief turned to the origin of the attack to see a man with short green hair and three swords, one of which was out, and a boy with short pink hair and a white and blue shirt standing on the edge of the building.

"See?" the man questioned, showing that he had given the order, "I told you we would make it in time."

"You started out going the wrong way!" the younger of the two shouted back.

"Zoro!" Luffy called, the name causing whispers in the crowd. "You made it!"

"Did he say 'Zoro'?"

"The Pirate Hunter?"

"Is he here for the captain's head?"

"It can't be that. He'd never win against the captain's Devil Fruit power."

"Girl, are you hurt?" Zoro asked.

"N-no," Nami responded.

"Good. Luffy, what did you do? I thought you were smarter than to get stuffed into a cage. Of course, you did get carried off by a bird first." He began walking over to Luffy's cage before the voice of a clown stopped him.

"So you're the infamous Pirate Hunter Zoro. If you're here for my head, you have quite a struggle before you."

"No thanks," Zoro waved off. "Not interested."

"Oh, but I am. Killing you would boost my reputation."

"L-let's just grab Captain Luffy and g-get out of here," the pink-haired boy stuttered.

"Shrimp," Zoro ordered, "grab Luffy and pull him through the bars. Buggy the Clown, I'm warning you. Back away now or I will kill you."

"Funny. I was going to say that last part." The two men prepped themselves for combat.

"Be careful, Zoro," Coby warned. "It's said that Buggy the Clown has Devil Fruit powers that make him immune to swords."

"Good to know, Shrimp." Zoro placed his favorite sword, Wado Ichimonji, in his mouth and put himself in a loose, offensive stance. Buggy sprung forward with a cry of "Die!" and Zoro lunged. They were frozen for a second before the pirate captain split, his right arm and leg separating at the joints and his body cut horizontally. He fell.

"Well that was boring," Luffy commented. Coby ran over and began yanking on the rubber-man, pulling his head out easy enough. "He was really weak."

"I don't think it's over yet," Zoro started, keeping his guard up. "Shrimp seems to know more about these pirate captains than I do. He recognized Buggy's name when I didn't." Zoro turned on a dime, blocking a knife with the sound of metal-on-metal contact filling the air for half a second. The knife spun away, taking with it the floating hand of Buggy the Clown.

"What the-" Zoro questioned before coming to a realization. "Oh, I get it. You ate a Devil Fruit, didn't you?"

"How very observant of you, Roranoa Zoro," Buggy commented, his body fusing back together. "You are correct. I ate the Chop-Chop Devil Fruit, so now I am a Chop-Chop man. Since I can separate parts of my body, I cannot be bested by the sword!"

"We'll see about that." The two collided in a flurry of blades. It was obvious that Zoro was better with blades and had the longest reach, but the clown's ability nullified both of his advantages. They separated when Buggy actually managed to get a hit on Zoro, a shallow but rather painful gash on his left side.

"Zoro!" Luffy called. The swordsman glanced at his captain to see that their other crewmember had pulled most of his body out of the cage and was yanking on his shoulders to get his pelvis to bend. "The cannon!"

"Aye, captain." The green-haired man ran at Buggy who swung, but the man ducked under his attack and kicked him in the back. Buggy was thrown into the crowd as his opponent was propelled past the cannon. The man made his way underneath its barrel and began lifting, making his wound worse, but not life-threatening.

"Nami, matches!" Straw Hat called as he was finally pulled out of the cage by Coby. The girl grabbed the box the other pirate had dropped when she attacked him and made her way around as Zoro flipped the cannon with a burst of strength. She struck a match and lit the fuse, which had been shortened considerably when Zoro had cut it.

"No, wait!" Buggy cried. "That still has one of my special Buggy Balls in it!"

BOOOOOM!

 **End of Chapter 3**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	4. Shoo-Shoo and Mohji

**Chapter 4:**

 **Shoo-Shoo and Mohji**

 _The girl grabbed the box the other pirate had dropped when she attacked him and made her way around as Zoro flipped the cannon with a burst of strength. She struck a match and lit the fuse._

 _"No, wait!" Buggy cried. "That still has one of my special Buggy Balls in it!"_

 _BOOOOOM!_

Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Coby (being dragged by Zoro) ran as if their lives depended on it. Behind them, parts of the rooftop crumbled, falling into the street below. Luffy was laughing his head off, Zoro was silent, and Nami staring at the hat-wearing pirate thinking he was insane. After all, he has just ordered her to shoot the infamous Buggy the Clown with his own cannon.

And, she realized, she'd done it, too. She had just shot one of the most wanted men in all of the East Blue on the whim of an energetic teen in a cage. She was just as crazy as he was!

* * *

Buggy shoved the now-dead pirate's charred corpse away from him, glad that he had shielded himself in time for the blast. Beside him, his two most devoted followers did the same.

"Well that sucked," the one with long dark-green hair commented. He moved to retrieve his unicycle from a pile of moaning survivors and unresponsive casualties. Afterward, he tsked at the layer of soot on it. "They almost broke my unicycle."

"Screw your unicycle," the other man, who wore a fluffy white hat that looked like a pair of bear ears, spat. "They almost killed Ritchie." He walked over to a large, white lion with various bright colors dyed into its main where it was cowering behind its own blackened meat shield. He began whispering consoling words to the giant feline.

"Mohji," Buggy called, catching the man's attention, "as soon as Ritchie is better, I want both of you to track down those insolent fools that dared to try to flashily blow us up and kill them. Cabaji, find out how many survived and can be healed. I have no need for a crippled pirate."

"Aye, Captain Buggy!"

* * *

Eventually, the group stopped by a pet food store where Zoro cut Luffy free from the ropes that still had him pinned. The store had no name as far as they could tell, but the sign clearly said Pet Food. In front of the store sat a white dog, siting on the ground as still as a statue. It eyed the newcomers, but otherwise did not move. That was, until Luffy ran up to the dog.

"Doggy!" Luffy cried like a little child, kneeling before the immobile mammal and reaching out to pet it. The swordsman, thief, and boy sweatdropped when the dog bit his hand. As Luffy ran around trying to shake the dog off, the green-haired man turned to the orange-haired girl.

"So I guess you're Nami, then?"

"You know me?" There was a waiver in her voice. If Roranoa Zoro knew her name, did that mean she was wanted? Was there a bounty on her head?

"Don't worry, Miss Nami," Coby soothed, recognizing the scared quiver he'd heard in his own voice far too often. "Captain Luffy called out your name earlier when he told you to fire that cannon."

"Oh. Ok?"

"So what was Luffy doing in a cage?" Zoro asked, tearing a strip of cloth from his shirt and having Coby wrap his wound.

"He agreed to help me steal Buggy's treasure and in return, I'd be the crew's navigator for a little bit. It's only a temporary thing, but Buggy thought it would be a good idea to have me shoot my 'former captain'."

"Does that mean we're going to need a bigger boat?" Coby questioned.

"Nah. We can take the one I, uh, commandeered from some lovely fellows."

"Let me guess," Zoro grunted, wincing as Coby finished tightening the makeshift bandage. "Three pirates you left at sea in a storm."

"You meet them?"

"Picked them up, beat them up, then forced them to row."

"Huh. Neat. Wait... How did you get Luffy out of that ca-"

"Get away from Shoo-Shoo, you filthy pirates!" an old man yelled, running up to the group where Luffy had still not stopped trying to shake the dog off his hand. The man was dressed in old armor that _might_ withstand one swing of a decent sword, two if the first the first hit just right. His hair was white and his skin tan. He had a short spear on his back.

"Who're you calling a pirate?" Nami cried the same time as Zoro growled, "Who you calling filthy?"

"You blasted Buggy Pirates!" the man shouted angrily, pulled the spear off his back to appear menacing. "It wasn't enough to run us out of town and take all our money, so now you're stealing from dogs, too? Just how low will you pirates stoop?"

"Wait, mister!" Coby exclaimed. "We're not with the Buggy Pirates! We were actually f-fighting them a few minutes ago. Didn't you see the big explosion?"

"I saw a row of houses I'd help build get blown to rubble!" the irate old man roared. He swung his spear.

"Listen, old guy," Luffy said, holding Shoo-Shoo out where the dog was chewing on his hand like a hanging chew toy while catching the sear with his free hand. "We don't like the clown guy any more than you do. That's why we shot him with his own cannon."

"Y-you did what?!"

"It was pretty fun, too! Shishishi."

"Well," the man hesitated, taking his spear back as Luffy let go. "I guess if you're an enemy of Buggy, then you're a friend to this town. I'm Mayor Boodle (Luffy snickered at the name) and the dog there is Shoo-Shoo. We're the only two left in this town since those pirates came. Everyone else is hiding in the forest."

"Why are you still here?" Coby asked.

"I come back once or twice a day to feed Shoo-Shoo who refuses to leave the food store his owner ran. He was a good friend of mine, but he died of a disease a few months ago. Poor Shoo-Shoo; I'm sure he knows his master's gone, but he won't leave his treasure."

"Treasure?" Nami questioned excitedly, her body practically vibrating with greed.

"The store," Boodle elaborated, much to Nami's disappointment. Off in the distance, the quiet sound of approaching footfalls was making itself known. "Oh no!" the mayor panicked. "It's Beast Tamer Mohji! Run!" He bolted faster than the younger generation would have thought possible for such an old guy.

Down the road came Richie the Lion, his master Mohji riding atop. The lion caught the smell of the food and began eying the store, obviously wanting to tear the place apart and devour its contents. Mohji, on the other hand, eyed the group of four humans and one dog that stood in front of the store. Of them, only two seemed afraid. A pink-haired boy he remembered seeing with the swordsman and the thief that had stolen their map. The other three, a teen, Roranoa Zoro, and a dog, remained still.

"Finally," Mohji smiled darkly, "I've found you. Are you ready to die, Straw Hat? Roranoa? Nami?" The large feline made a growling sound that almost sounded like a question. "Oh I suppose, Richie. If you finish them off quickly. Attack!"

The lion pounced with gusto, causing the four humans to scatter. Boodle poked his head out from around a corner to watch just as the fight began while Shoo-Shoo would remain neutral until his treasure was threatened. Mohji turned Richie toward Coby, deeming him the lowest-level threat.

The pre-teen panicked and began throwing whatever he could get his hands on, the majority of which was small debris from the houses that had been destroyed two streets away by the first Buggy Ball. The small chunks of rock bounced off of the lion with little to no effect until Coby managed a lucky hit. Richie roared as a piece of rock nailed him in the eye. He shook off the pain, nearly shaking Mohji off as well, and charged the ex-marine wannabe.

"Help me!" Coby cried, finding his voice. That was all the other two official members needed to come to his aid. Mohji found himself flying forward when his mount's momentum was halted by a fist and a sheathed blade. The beast tamer landed roughly between two pissed, adult pirates and a scared child pirate.

"Never touch my nakama," Luffy muttered darkly, "or I'll make you regret it." Next to him, Zoro stood silent like a demon ready to reap souls. Mohji did the most sensible thing.

He tried to run. Unfortunately for him, Luffy could stretch himself. The captain's extended arm latched onto the beast tamer's shirt collar and dragged him back, much to Nami's surprise.

"We aren't done with you," Luffy grinned, his fist connecting with the Beast Tamer's nose shortly afterward. The force threw the man away from the younger pirate and right into the waiting arms of the so-called Pirate Hunter. Mohji audibly gulped.

"Shishishi," Luffy laughed at the sounds of Mohji whimpering and screaming alternating as Zoro used him as a punching bag until the orange-haired girl grabbed him by the shirt.

"What the Hell was that?" she demanded, shaking the raven-haired teen. "People aren't supposed to stretch!"

"I'm... a... rub... ber... per... son..." Luffy got out through the shaking. "I... ate... the... Gum... Gum... Fruit."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Despite her question and the expectation of an answer, Nami did not stop shaking the teen captain.

"Ah," Coby tried, tapping the woman on the arm. She turned her glare on him, leaving Luffy dizzy in her grip. "Devil Fruit!" the boy squeaked, trying the shrink himself.

"What the shrimp means," Zoro began, throwing a black-and-blue Mohji over his shoulder without a care to his pained moaning, "is that our idiot captain ate some weird fruit when he was younger that turned his body into rubber."

"You people really expect me to believe that?" Nami demanded.

"Course we do!" Luffy laughed, grabbing the inside of his mouth and pulling. "Look! see? I'm a rubber-man!"

"But Devil Fruits are just a myth," the girl tried to protest.

"Well here's your proof," Zoro grunted, punching Luffy over the head. The hit did nothing.

"Thank you!" Mayor Boodle cried, running over from where he'd been whacking Mohji with a piece of wood. "Thank you so much!"

"We aren't done yet," Luffy smirked. "I still have to kick that clown jerk's ass."

* * *

"Has Mohji not returned yet?" Buggy asked, annoyance filling his voice.

"No, sir," the lookout responded.

"Gah. Fine. Load the cannon again. I want to flashily blow this town to smithereens as soon as he returns."

"Yes, sir!"

 **End of Chapter 4**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	5. Buggy and Cabaji

**Hello and welcome to another chapter of Coby's Choice! Here we have the completion of the fight with Buggy the Clown and the first big fight(s) of this story. If you've read my first A/N, than you should know that I have through Enies Lobby written, so I've done several more fight scenes since I wrote this one, but, while these are very short in comparison to most of the others, I still think it's not too shabby. Why don't y'all tell me what you think?**

 **Also, I just got out of back-to-back tests, and, while I feel good about Physics, Calculus is another matter. So, new chapter because I feel like it!**

* * *

 **Chapter 5:**

 **Cabaji the Acrobat and Buggy the Clown**

 _ **Recap**_

 _The captain's extended arm latched onto the beast tamer's shirt collar and dragged him back, much to Nami's surprise. Luffy and Zoro began to violently beat the crap out of the Buggy pirate for threatening Coby._

 _"What the Hell was that?" Nami demanded, shaking the raven-haired teen. "People aren't supposed to stretch!"_

 _"Our idiot captain ate some weird fruit when he was younger that turned his body into rubber."_

 _"Thank you!" Mayor Boodle cried, running over from where he'd been whacking Mohji with a piece of wood. "Thank you so much!"_

After thanking the quartet, Mayor Boodle had taken off toward the bar where Buggy had set up his base, filled with courage (read stupidity) at the strength shown by Luffy and Zoro. The others had followed after tying up Mohji and Ritchie, knowing that the old man would die if he tried to take on the Buggy Pirates alone.

"Buggy!" Boodle shouted as he approached his destination, attracting the attention of the people on the roof of the bar. "I cannot stand around and watch you destroy this village anymore! Come out and fight me!"

"Bwahahaha! Look at this! An old man thinks he can take me on!" The Chop-Chop man's right hand shot out, latching on to the mayor's throat and lifting him up from the ground. The surviving crew laughed at the old man's futile struggles until their captain cried out in shock. Now standing between them and Boodle was Luffy with Buggy's hand in his grip.

"Sorry, Big Nose, but I like this guy, so I'm not going to let you kill him."

"Who you calling Big Nose?!"

"Uh, you," Luffy stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"That's so rude!" Buggy exclaimed. "Wait, where's Mohji? I sent him to kill you all."

"And you were just complaining about our manners?" Zoro sassed. "I'm pretty sure that's ironic coming from you."

"We left him and his lion tied up where they attacked us," Nami answered, acting like she had done more than just watch.

"And now we're here to kick your ass!" Luffy declared.

Buggy looked at them in disbelief. They thought five people including an old man and a child could have a prayer in Hell of defeating him and his crew? He'd show them.

"No!" Boodle shouted. "This fight is mine!" In response to this, Luffy punched Mayor Boodle in the back of the head, knocking him into a wall and causing him to lose consciousness.

"What the Hell did you do that for?!" Nami screamed.

"Actually," Zoro grunted, "that's for the best. If he fought, he'd probably die."

"It won't matter," Buggy butted in, "because all of you will die anyway! Men, fire the Buggy Ball!" There was the now-familiar sound of a cannon firing as a red ball of death raced toward the small group.

"I've got this," Luffy declared as the bomb drew closer. "Gum-Gum balloon!" The teen's body expanded and would have scared Nami had she not forced an explanation out of him after the fight with Mohji. His inflated stomach caught the cannonball, slowing it to a stop before launching it back at the rooftop. Pirates screamed, two of them diving off the side of the building to avoid the subsequent explosion. These two were Buggy the Clown and Cabaji the Acrobat.

"You Straw Hat bastard!" Buggy roared. "Look at what you've done to my crew!"

"Look at what you've done to this town," Luffy retorted.

"Wait. Why does that straw hat look familiar?" Buggy asked himself. "It reminds me of that Red Hair bastard."

"Red Hair? Oh! You mean Shanks! Yeah, he gave me his hat."

"I hate him and anyone associated with him! Prepare to die, Straw Hat! Cabaji, get Roranoa!"

"But captain," Cabaji protested. "Wouldn't it be better if I took on Straw Hat and you took Roranoa?"

"Shut up and do as I say. I will kill this little brat personally."

Cabaji silently accepted his orders and hopped on his unicycle, pulling a sword from his mouth in the process. "Roranoa Zoro. Prepare to die."

"A fellow swordsman, eh? Let's go."

 **Zoro vs Cabaji**

The Acrobat sped forward on his unicycle, a very fearsome way to charge into battle indeed. Despite this, Zoro was unfazed, placing his white-hilted sword into his mouth. The two clashed as their swords sparked. Zoro's black eyes met Cabaji's, both refusing to waver or give an inch. They were locked in this stalemate until Cabaji called out his next attack.

"Take this! Fire breath!" He blew a plume of fire from his mouth, giving Zoro some light burns and searing away parts of his ruined shirt. The Buggy pirate peddled away as Zoro recollected himself, the Buggy pirate speeding up the side of a building before taking to the air.

"Festival of a Thousand Deadly Tops!" From his jacket, the dark-haired man released a multitude of spinning tops that flew toward Zoro.

"Streaming Wolf Swords!" the Pirate Hunter countered, his blades flashing up to cut the first several tops down with an almost bored expression. If he had been injured, stabbed for example, it may have been much harder. "How many damn tops do you have?" Zoro demanded, cutting though another top as he leaned out of the way of a trio that were aimed at his head. There was a streadily growing pile of tops building up behind him. Even so, Cabaji continued to fling the spinning progectiles at the green-haired man.

"Like I'd tell you!" Cabaji retorted, landing and peddling forward. Binging his sword up as he approached, the acrobat swung downward to cleave the former bounty hunter in two.

"Not good enough," Zoro taunted through his sword, deflecting each of his opponent's slashes. "you can't beat me."

"We'll see about that!" Angered, the long-haired man sped up his attacks, his swords seeming to blur. Zoro smirked, his own weapons speeding up in response. Cabaji grit his teeth, both swordsmen locking their swords in a show of strength before separating, the one on a unicycle flying comfortably through the air.

"Is that the best you've got?" Zoro remarked, enjoying the look of rage that covered his foe's face at the jab. "I thought I was fighting a swordsman, not some two-bit sideshow."

Cabaji landed with an ease that spoke of years of practice and charged the green-haired man with a battle call. Zoro took a stance, placing two of his swords perpendicular to his third and held behind it.

"DEMON SLASH!" The cyclist fell off his one-wheeled mode of transportation behind the famous pirate hunter, a look of complete shock on his face and three deep cuts in his chest.

"I... can't believe... the Buggy Pirates... were defeated by... such trash."

"We're not trash," Zoro told him firmly. "We're pirates."

 **K.O.**

 **Zoro vs. Cabaji**

 **Winner: Zoro**

* * *

 **Meanwhile…**

 **Luffy vs. Buggy**

"Now, while Cabaji takes care of Roranoa, I'll have fun killing you slowly!"

"You're annoying," Luffy stated. "Shut up."

"Don't you talk down on me!" Using a slight of hand, Buggy produced four knifes in each hand. "Chop-Chop Cannon!" His hands shot forward, blades aimed to kill. Coby cried out for his captain, only for the teen to roundhouse kick both hands as they drew closer. His opponent cringed, the pain transferred to him.

Seeing all the pirates either unconscious or preoccupied, Nami grabbed Coby and snuck off to look for Buggy's treasure. Neither of the dueling captains or swordsmen seemed to notice their disappearance. The clown-themed pirate separated his torso from his legs and launched his upper body forward, reconnecting his hands in the process.

"Die, Straw Hat!" Buggy roared, bringing a fists full of knifes down on the younger pirate.

"You say that a lot," Luffy responded, sidestepping the attack. He threw out his hand, grabbing Buggy's face. While the man was surprised, Luffy wrapped his other arm around his first and latched onto a handful of the man's blue hair. "Gum-Gum Hammer!" Buggy's head came off, spinning faster than Cabaji's tops due to the unwinding of the rubber-man's arms before coming to a sudden stop a few inches below where the road had been before. Luffy took a moment to see what he'd done.

"Oh no! I killed him!" Luffy wailed.

"I'm not dead, you Straw Hat bastard!" Buggy's head yelled, floating up from the small crater Luffy had made with it. His headless body connected to his lower half and started moving, slashing at the stretchy human. The two duked it out with hand-to-hand combat until Buggy threw an uppercut. Luffy shifted backwards, but his hat was cut with the blade and fell off his head, shocking the teen.

"My hat," Luffy muttered in a much-too-calm voice, bending down to lift the headwear. "You cut my hat. I'm going to kill you, Bastard! Gum-Gum Gatling!" His arms shot out quickly, hitting Buggy hard enough to send whatever part of his body they came in contact with flying. Finally, one fist hit Buggy's face, causing it to tumble into the pile of parts several dozen feet away. The only things spared were the clown's feet.

The clown captain put himself back together while sporting multiple bruises including a very prominent one on the right side of his face. Buggy pulled out eight more knifes and flung his upper body at his foe. Luffy responded like he had at the start of the fight, kicking him as he passed.

Buggy's upper half rose into the air again, but his eyes locked onto something behind Luffy. With a cry of "give me back my treasure, you bitch!", Buggy forgot about the annoyingly-strong Devil Fruit user he was fighting and charged Nami and Coby who were sneaking toward the port.

"Crap, he saw us," Nami breathed, the larger of two bags on her back.

Coby was more vocal, dropping his smaller bag in fear. "He's going to kill us!" Suddenly, Buggy froze, a look of excruciating pain on his face. Behind him, Luffy had taken the chance to kick Buggy between the legs for getting distracted. Luffy threw Buggy's lower body at his upper parts where he reconnected out of instinct.

"Hey Buggy!" Luffy yelled, stretching both of his arms behind him. "This is for the old guy and his treasure! Gum-Gum Bazooka!" One second Buggy was there, the next the clown's screams were echoing through the air as body faded from sight.

 **K.O.**

 **Luffy vs. Buggy**

 **Winner: Luffy**

"That was awesome, Captain Luffy!" Coby ran over to the teen as a barely-winded Zoro wandered over. The three laughed together before leaving, Nami following behind and awed by their display of power. Despite this, she was still sure to have Coby grab the other bag of loot as they made their exit.

Unbeknownst to them, the townspeople had seen most of the fight and were now praising their courage…

Reaching the docks, the quartet found their respective boats tied up next to each other, the three men that Nami had conned and that Zoro had beaten up lying unconscious on the ground. Nami's boat, the one she had taken from the unconscious men, was slightly bigger than the one Zoro and Coby had arrived in and had an additional one-person cabin and a black flag emblazoned with the symbol of the Buggy Pirates. The girl ordered the three men to tie the boats together while she loaded the gold they had taken from Buggy into the cabin.

"Thank you!" someone shouted, causing the three males to turn their heads. A group of the younger townspeople were running towards them with a bag hefted between them. "Thank you for saving our town!"

"What's in the bag?" Luffy asked, purposely ignoring the thanks he was receiving; he didn't want to be a hero. Heroes shared the meat!

"Food for your trip," Boodle answered, staggering over with the help of some middle-aged men. It appeared Luffy's punch had done a little more than just knock him out. "Please, take it."

"Don't mind if I do," Luffy smiled, taking the bag. Zoro and Coby snatched it from him before he could stuff the whole thing in his mouth, something he was likely to do if the look in his eye was any indicator. Pouting slightly at being denied his "snack", The three men pushed off from the dock and began sailing away toward their group's next adventure.

 **End of Chapter 5**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	6. Usopp The Liar

**I am really disappointed in this chapter. Well, not _really_ disappointed, but it's a whole lot shorter than the others. Don't get me wrong; it's very important for the beginnings of character development, but I just couldn't make it any longer or combine it with the next chapter. Oh, well. **

* * *

**Chapter 6:**

 **Usopp the Liar**

The crew of four were sailing along in two small boats strapped together. The bigger of the two, which held Nami, Coby, and their meager food stores, had a small cabin and a black sail with the emblem of the Buggy Pirates. The other held Luffy, Zoro, and the treasure. They had started out with the treasure and the food places swapped, but that was soon changed from Luffy's eating habits. Nami, with the help of Coby, was navigating both vessels toward a small island where they should be able to get supplies and one bigger boat.

Eventually they reached a point where Nami could sail both boats without help, leaving Coby to his thoughts. He was thinking about the strength shown by both his Captain and the First Mate and how he had really done nothing to help in the fight against Buggy. Building his resolve, he spoke up.

"So, Z-Zoro?"

"What is it, Shrimp?"

"I-I was w-wondering-"

"Don't stutter. Speak up."

"I was wondering," Coby said again, louder, "Could you teach me swordsmanship?"

There was silence for a moment. Both Luffy and Nami were now watching the discussion with interest; nothing else was happening anyway. "You want to learn how to use a sword?"

"Actually, I want to use two swords."

"You want to learn Two Sword Style from me?" Zoro asked. Coby nodded in response. "Why?"

"Because I did nothing to help last time," the rosette responded. "I want to be able to do something in our next fight. You and Captain Luffy are so strong, but I'm not. I can't really learn to fight from Captain Luffy since I can't stretch, but I can learn from you."

"I'll warn you right now that I've never taught anyone before, so if I _do_ teach you, it would be the way I learned and taught myself. It will probably be harsh and make you want to quit. Still interested?"

Coby was visibly shaking, but he still nodded his head. "Y-yes."

"You don't sound certain."

"Yes, I am. I'm certain."

"Good. We can start right now." Zoro threw Coby one of his swords with the sheath still on. The boy was unable to catch it, something that did not shock the green-haired man, but he managed to keep it in the boat. "Lift it," the older man ordered.

The pink-haired pirate gasped the handle with both hands and raised the sword. He pointed it away from the viewers, not trusting himself to not accidentally hurt one of them, even with the sheath still on the blade.

"That's a good start," Zoro commented, "but you've got a lot of problems. For one thing, that's a one-handed sword. So use it as such."

"What?" Coby asked. He was only holding it without shaking because he had two hands on it. He'd known he was weak, but that weak?

"Take your weaker hand off." Coby hesitated, but did as told. He removed his left hand. Almost immediately, the tip of the blade hit the deck. With visible strain, Coby tried to lift the sword with only one hand, but the tip only rose about seven inches. "Right," Zoro sighed. "That's not going to work."

Coby was put out. He'd never learn to use a sword; he was just too weak. He should throw himself over the side and not burden-

"Shrimp, drop and give me 50 push-ups."

"B-but I can't do that many."

"Then do as many as you can," Zoro ordered. "Until you can lift one of these blades with each hand, I can't teach you the way of the sword. We'll see if I can get some bokken on the next island to start earlier since they aren't as heavy, but until then, we'll just have to whip you into shape." Coby was speechless. "Well?"

"Uh, yes, Zoro-sensei!" The boy dropped to the deck and started exercising.

"Zoro-sensei," the swordsman mused. "I like the sound of that."

"Dammit, Luffy!" Nami yelled, breaking Zoro out of his thoughts. "Stay away from the food!" Zoro gave a hardy laugh as Coby continued to pump his arms up and down, a light sheen of sweat already starting to appear across his brow.

* * *

Four people were spying on the ships that had just landed on the northernmost cape of Gecko Island. As they watched, three people, two men and a woman, exited the ships, leaving behind a panting boy who was lying in a puddle of sweat. The first male, a teen with a mop of black hair under a straw hat, yawned as he stepped onto the white sand. He wore a red vest and blue jean shorts with sandals. This teen also had a scar under his left eye.

"So this is the island you were talking about?" he asked, directing the question at the woman. "It's pretty small. I hope we can get enough meat."

"You never have enough meat," the second man remarked. He was dressed in long black pants with matching boots, a white t-shirt, and had short green hair with a sash the same color around his waist. He held three sheathed swords in his right hand and had a dark green bandana tied around his left arm.

"I'm more worried about Coby," the woman commented before rounding on the swordsman. "I can't believe you did that to him!" The female of the group had short orange hair, a horizontally striped blue and white shirt, and an orange skirt with raised sandals. "You pushed him way too hard!" She gestured the boy in the smaller boat.

The boy in question was short. He was dressed in a shirt that was reminiscent of Marine uniforms, had shorts similar to the first man, tennis shoes, and blue glasses. Straight pink hair stuck to his head and his skin shone like he had just gone swimming.

"He asked for it," the man shrugged. "How else am I going to train him? Plus I warned him." He froze, gripping his swords before turning to the hiding place of the four, eavesdropping people. "We've got company."

"That's right!" called the tallest native present. He stood on a cliff facing the intruders, is arms crossed a look of superiority on his tanned face. The teen was dressed in brown overalls with a white sash around his waist and brown shoes. His curly, black hair was held back by a green bandana and a pair of goggles, and a large circular purse (I mean... satchel) hung from his neck. A long nose stuck out from his head and was as plain as the nose on his... nevermind. Aa green slingshot was Pulled out from his satchel (man-purse) and aimed at the three on the beach. "Don't you dare take another step or else my crew of 80 million men will attack!"

Behind the man, pirate flags were raised in groups of three until the entire coastline was filled with them. The symbol on the flags was a skull with a long nose and a slingshot. "I am the brave Captain Usopp of the Usopp Pirates and the town of this island is under my protection!"

"Usopp?" Straw Hat muttered. "I've heard that name before."

"You have?" the teen gaped. "I mean, of course you have! I'm famous across the world, after all! Now be gone, pirates!"

"80 million followers?" the woman scoffed. "My guess for the real number is three."

"Crap!" three voices cried out. "She knows!" Six flags that had been moving dropped to the ground and three boys ran away toward the center of the island, leaving the oldest behind.

"Wait! Don't leave me here alone!" He was visibly shaken, but the teen still pretended to have confidence. The boy in the boat hoisted himself up with difficulty and drug himself onto the beach to see what all the commotion was.

"So 80 million was a bit of an overstatement," Usopp conceded, "but they don't call me Usopp the Brave for nothing! I can rival anyone with a gun!"

"Do it then," the other teen ordered in a serious tone, his hat shadowing his eyes. The woman and boy were staring at him in surprise. "Guns were made for action, not threats. So do it; pull the trigger."

Usopp stood there, shaking nearly as bad as Coby had been when trying to raise Zoro's sword. Said swordsman smirked and prepped his favorite weapon, egging the sniper on. 30 seconds passed before Usopp gave in, falling to the dirt.

"I'm pathetic," he cried. "I can't even protect my town."

"Shishishi!" Luffy Laughed. "I stole that from Shanks. Don't worry about it, Usopp. Oh! Now I know where I heard that name. You're Yassop's son, aren't you?" Usopp jerked and fell off the cliff, surprised. He tumbled to the beach, but recovered quickly. Leaping to his feet, Usopp shuffled over to Luffy.

"You know my father? How? What can you tell me about him?"

"I'll talk about it later," Luffy responded as his stomach growled. "Right now, I need some meat!"

"Well come with me. I know a place." Usopp led them into town, his curiosity overriding his previous hostility.

 **End of Chapter 6**

* * *

 **As usual, Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	7. Kaya and Klahadore

**Chapter 7:**

 **Kaya and Klahadore**

 _"You knew my father? How? What can you tell me about him?"_

 _"I'll talk about it later. Right now, I need some meat!"_

 _"Well come with me. I know a place." Usopp led them into town, his curiosity overriding his previous hostility._

The Straw Hat Pirates sat in the town's only restaurant with Usopp, the son of Yassop. Luffy was regaling the other 17-year-old with stories of his father from when the Red Hair Pirates had been docked in Fusha Village. The sniper was drinking it up, wanting to learn everything about his father being a brave warrior of the sea.

"So my father is on the crew of Red-Haired Shanks?" Usopp inquired.

"More than just on the crew," Luffy answered. "He's their best sniper. And he was one of Shanks' best friends on the crew. I once watched him shoot the wings off a fly while looking in a mirror!" These words got Usopp riled up, spouting about becoming a pirate like his father. Nami cut him off.

"Actually, we're here on a mission," the girl stated. "Is there anyone you know here that can help us get a boat?"

"Uh..." the self-proclaimed captain got shifty. "Nope! No one here. Not a single person."

"What about the people in that big mansion on the hill?" Zoro asked. "They seem wealthy enough to spare a boat."

"Don't you go anywhere near that mansion!" Usopp shouted before he could catch himself. "Uh... I mean... Oh! Would you look at the time? I've got to go do something very important, SoDon'tFollowOrWaitForMeBye!" The teen bolted out the door, leaving four confused pirates in his wake.

"That wasn't suspicious at all," Nami snarked.

"Maybe he had some chores he had to do?" Coby offered, trying to give the lying male the benefit of the doubt. In the time it took for both of those sentences to be spoken, the crew's captain had consumed all of the uneaten food on the table, resulting in a bulging stomach that only made sense from the inclusion of his Devil Fruit powers. This was the image that greeted three children when they ran into the establishment screaming bloody murder.

"Where is our captain, you dirty pirates?!" the three children yelled. Their eyes landed on Luffy and his unnatural proportions.

"Ah, that meat was good," he sighed, much to the horror of the children.

"Your captain," Zoro smirked, amused with Luffy's choice of words, "was delicious."

"AHHH!" the three screamed as they turned to the lone female. "WITCH!"

"Why'd you turn to me?!" she yelled back. Their act came to an end when Coby broke into a fit of laughter and was soon followed by his teacher and captain.

* * *

Luffy and the crew followed the children, who had introduced themselves as Carrot, Onion, and Pepper. They had explained that they were the only members of the Usopp Pirates, minus their namesake, and that said namesake could only be one place at that time of day: the mansion.

"Why would he be there?" Coby questioned, hiking along despite his weariness from the killer workout Zoro had put him through that morning.

"He goes there to lie," Carrot responded.

"What?" Nami demanded. "That asshole goes there to lie to people?"

"The woman who lives there, Kaya, has had a severe case of depression ever since her parents died in an accident a year ago," Carrot elaborated, shrinking away from the scary woman. "Captain Usopp goes there every day to tell her stories to cheer her up."

"Well, then I guess that's ok," Nami amended, still miffed at the thought of lying to an innocent person.

"Let's go ask her to give us a ship," Luffy reasoned. "She sounds nice." Despite the sighs, the group made their way to the large house, skirting around the gate and its guards.

"How are we going to get in?" Coby wondered aloud, staring at the tall, iron-wrought fence that loomed over them.

"Like this." The rubber-man jumped up and grabbed the top of the fence, letting his weight stretch his arms, much to the horror of the Usopp Pirates. "Gum-Gum-!"

"No wait!" Nami, Zoro, and Coby cried, grabbing Luffy in an attempt to stop him. The three children also grabbed on.

"Pardon the intrusion!" All seven were launched into the air as Luffy's arms snapped back to normal length.

Usopp, who was on a tree branch, had been telling Kaya about the time he, at five-years-old, had fought a giant goldfish when seven people he recognized fell from the sky and landed in a cloud of dirt.

"That was so much fun!" Luffy cheered, jumping to his feet.

"No it wasn't!" everyone else shouted, punching him in the back of the head.

"Goodness!" cried a very pale, blond-haired woman dressed in a baby-blue dress. Her big, light brown eyes looked at the group worriedly. "Are you all ok?"

"Don't worry about them," Usopp tried to wave off. "They're just some fans that wanted to join the Usopp Pirates."

"Nope," Luffy denied. "Not me. I actually wanted to talk to you. You're... Uh..."

"Kaya," Coby whispered to him.

"You're Kaya, right?"

"Yes I am," the woman answered. "And you?"

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy, captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, and these three are my First Mate Zoro, our swordsman, Coby, swordsman-in-training, and Nami, our navigator."

"Temporary navigator," Nami interjected.

"It's nice to meet you," Kaya smiled, "but why are you here?"

"We wanted to ask for a favor. We need a boat-"

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" a new voice demanded. Everyone turned to find a black-haired man wearing a suit. His hair was slicked back and a pair of round glasses rested on his face while black-and-gray striped shoes adorned his feet. He did not even try to hide his look of disgust when his eyes land on the form of Usopp standing in the tree by Kaya's window. "On second thought, I don't care. Get out. You are all trespassing illegally."

"But Klahadore," Kaya argued. "These people were-"

"I don't care what these people were doing." The man adjusted his glasses using the palm of his hand. "Their presence here is very detrimental to your health. You... eight must leave immediately."

"Actually Klahadore-"

"Not now, Miss Kaya. When your parents died, your care was entrusted to me. I cannot have you associating with ruffians like this son of sea trash."

"Don't you dare badmouth my father!" Usopp ordered. "He is a brave warrior of the sea on one of the world's most famous crews!"

"Your father is nothing but a no-name outlaw. Even when not here, pirates still influence their children." Klahadore tutted. "It just goes to show that it is in their DNA to be lowlifes. I will say it once more: leave immediately."

"Cease this at once, Klahadore!" Kaya shouted angrily. "Apologize!"

"Calm down, Kaya," Usopp placated. "This is my argument."

"I have no obligation to apologize to the son of such filthy trash like this ruffian."

"Don't insult my father ever again," Usopp ordered, forgetting his own advice and losing his own temper as he slid down the tree. He stomped toward Klahadore and, without warning, punched him in the face.

"Case in point," Klahadore muttered, sitting up with a bruise forming on his face, "he resorts to violence when words fail him. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it?" Usopp reached out, grabbing a fistful of Klahadore's shirt and prepared to punch him again.

"Usopp!" Kaya cried. "Stop! Please, stop! I can't take any more violence. Please, Klahadore isn't a bad person. He's just misguided!"

"Fine," Usopp growled, releasing the man roughly. "I'm leaving. Happy now? You'll never see me here again." Usopp stomped away, not reacting to Kaya's apologies.

"That was very rude of you, Klahadore," Kaya stated after he'd gone. "You're such a buzzkill."

"Buzzkill is a title I will gladly bare if it keeps you safe, Miss Kaya," Klahadore responded, straitening out his uniform. "Now you all. Please make your way off the premises as well." The three children that would follow Usopp like lost puppies began shouting at the butler, calling him every name they could think of, but Coby's voice cut through theirs.

"Yes, sir. It was nice speaking to you, Miss Kaya. I hope we see you again. Come on, guys." The crew, plus three boys being dragged, exited the estate, startling the guards that had been unaware of their entry. Luffy declared that he was going to go find Usopp while the vegetable trio had to head home to do chores. The final three went back to the only other place they knew in the town to await the return of their captain and, hopefully, a happier sniper.

* * *

The moment Usopp ran by the group sitting by the side of the road without saying anything, they knew something was wrong. His faithful trio saying that he was wearing a very distraught expression just made it worse. They followed his trail to his special spot, the place Carrot said he went when he was sad or angry.

They found Luffy at the bottom of the cliff, his hat on the ground next to him. His head was stuck underneath his body at a very unnatural angle and he wasn't moving.

"Did he fall all the way from the top of the cliff?" Onion asked in worry.

"No doubt about it," Pepper sighed. "He's a goner."

"Captain Luffy!" Coby cried dramatically, tears falling from his eyes. "Noooooo!"

"Zzzzzzz."

"What the?" Nami wondered aloud.

"Heh," Zoro smirked, walking up to his captain's body. He poked Luffy's butt with one of his swords.

"Zzzzzzz. *Yawn* What a great nap."

"You're alive?" Usopp's followers yelled.

"Captain Luffy!" Coby shouted, running forward and hugging the teen. "We thought you were dead! I can't imagine if you were dead! I don't know if-" BONK! "Ow! Why'd you hit me?"

"Felt like it," Luffy answered. "Oh. By the way, pirates are going to be attacking the town tomorrow."

"WHAT?!"

"That's not something you casually say!" Nami cried.

"Yeah. That butler guy is their captain and he was talking to this really weird guy with sunglasses. He said that he wants them to kill Kaya so he can inherit her money. I don't remember anything after that, though I think I yelled at them."

"Well it looks like we've got only one course of action," Carrot nodded sagely. "We've got warn the village and run."

"Yeah," Onion and Pepper agreed. The trio then ran away screaming like little girls.

"We have to hurry," Luffy said quickly. "We need to get all the meat we can before the meat store guy leaves!"

"That's not important, you idiot," Zoro chastised.

"Why don't we find Usopp and get his help? He lives here after all." Coby suggested. The boy had a good point, and Luffy was starting to want the sniper on the crew, so they went looking for the long-nosed teen. Or more accurately, he came to them before they could leave.

Usopp was in a bad state. He had multiple bruises and welts across his body, his nose looked to be broken, and his left arm freely bled from a bullet hole. He explained that he had tried to warn the village, but that all his previous lying had come back to bite him; they hadn't believed a single word he'd said. Then he'd tried to kidnap Kaya in a last ditch effort to save her from Klahadore's, or rather, Captain Kuro's plans, but Merry, Kaya's other butler, had shot him and the villagers beaten him with brooms and other such tools. Despite all this, he still wanted to save the village.

"I want to save this town, too," Coby stated. "Those people don't deserve to be overrun by pirates."

"I want all their treasure."

"I just want to cut something."

"I just want a fight."

"So what is everyone good at?" Usopp asked.

"Stretching."

"Cutting."

"Stealing."

"Getting beaten up."

"...and hiding," Usopp finished dejectedly. "We're screwed, aren't we?"

"Don't worry," Luffy told him. "We can do this." The group began preparations for the next morning.

 **End of Chapter 7**

* * *

 **Not my best chapter, but Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	8. Protect the City

**Happy belated Thanksgiving to all of my American readers! I hope you all had a wonderful, turkey-filled day. I'm sure you all don't was to read an A/N, so I'll get right into the chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8:**

 **Protect the City!**

 _"I want to save this town, too," Coby stated. "Those people don't deserve to be overrun by pirates."_

 _"I want all their treasure."_

 _"I just want to cut something."_

 _"I just want a fight." All that established, the group began preparations for the next morning._

* * *

The sun rose over the southernmost coast of Gecko Island, shining down on five people, three of whom were ready to fight. The narrow path before them shines, the slippery oil coating it reflecting the morning sunlight. Luffy stood at the top with his arms crossed and face shadowed by his hat, thinking he looked like Shanks just before fighting the mountain bandits. Zoro stood to his left with his bandana tied around his head, Wado Ichimonji unsheathed and resting on his left shoulder. On Zoro's other side was his student, a new bokken prepped for battle (Zoro had made sure it was good enough to withstand at least one battle with real swords before allowing it). Nami stood on Luffy's right, her bo out and held behind her and on her other side was Usopp who was trying to weasel his way out of battle.

"A-are you s-sure you n-need me? I-I mean; you all seem w-way stronger th-than me."

"If I'm fighting," Coby argued, "then you're fighting too."

"B-but-"

"Shouldn't they be here by now?" Zoro questioned, gazing out at the open ocean. "He did say they would be here in the morning, right?"

"Kuro ordered them to land on the shore at sunrise," Usopp affirmed before he seemed to come to a realization. "Crap! He must've meant the north shore on the other side of the island!"

"You moron!" Nami yelled. "Our boats are docked there!"

"Everyone," Luffy ordered. "Get there as fast as you can." There was a flurry of activity that ended with Zoro at the bottom of the cliff, unable to get back up due to the trap they had set.

"Zoro-sensei!" Coby called.

"Go on, Shrimp. I'll catch up."

"No you don't," Luffy stated. He didn't need one of his nakama to endanger himself before they were ready. "Coby, stay with Zoro and find a way to the other side." Luffy left, running after Nami and Usopp.

"Zoro-sensei, we can get there by following the beach around the island." Coby slid down the path covered in oil, losing his footing but not injured.

"Got it." Zoro picked him up and started walking.

"Uh, Zoro-sensei?" Coby started after 30 seconds. "Why are you headed for the cliffs?"

"Obviously the forest is a shortcut."

"But you don't have any sense of direction. You'd get lost in a heartbeat."

"Says who?"

"Everyone," Coby deadpanned. "Here." The boy wiggled out of his master's grip and grabbed his wrist. "Let's go." With no imminent danger in sight, the pink-haired boy quickly led the wayward samurai around the island. They arrived at their destination roughly 7 minutes later.

The battle had already begun. Their captain was fighting on the front line, beating back waves of pirates with assistance from Usopp's long-ranged attacks. Nami was nowhere to be seen, but, if her obsession was anything to go by, she was probably somewhere on the pirate ship grounded on the beach next to their own.

The swordsman jumped in without a second thought, blindsiding the advancing pirates from the left. Six of them went down before the others could perceived the newest threat, blood bursting forth from their slashed torsos.

"Hey Zoro!" Luffy waved, punching a pirate with his other stretched arm. "What took you so long?"

"Shrimp insisted on taking the long way around," Zoro answered through the sword in his mouth.

Meanwhile, two pirates had seen Coby trying to hide by the edge of the cliffs and rushed toward him, not wanting to have to fight the two monsters instead. Coby very nearly panicked, but his limited sword training (having started last night by a very sadistic Zoro) and the view of his teacher fighting a half dozen or so pirates alone was enough to get him to duck and retaliate. His wooden sword hit one foe in the leg, not breaking it but taking the pirate's footing out from under him. Before the boy could capitalize on his victory though, the other pirate attacked.

Coby's sudden burst of courage ended and his cowardice took hold. He fled, avoiding the sword swinging at him and trampling the fallen pirate in the process. He ran to his master, hiding behind him and forcing the green-haired man to block and hold back all of his opponents.

"Shrimp? What the Hell are you doing?"

"I can't do this, Zoro-sensei! I'm not strong enough!" A pirate with a headband that looked like cat ears swiped at the child who jumped out of the way. In retaliation, Zoro pushed the enemies off of his left-hand sword and cut him down.

"Yes you can, Coby," the swordsman urged, blocking three men at once. "Just stay close and remember what I showed you." Coby hesitantly shuffled out from behind the 19-year-old, but hurried back before joining the battle.

"No! I can't!"

"You wanted to protect the town, didn't you?" Zoro demanded. "Then forget about yourself and think about the villagers. They can't save themselves, so will you help save them?" Zoro knew he was playing with Coby's beliefs, but they didn't have any time to waste at the moment.

As per his intention, Zoro's words struck a cord. Coby wanted to protect the village; he couldn't stop now. Not in the middle of the fight. He stepped out from behind his teacher with more confidence and charged the men attacking him. The pirates were caught off guard from the boy's sudden determination and fell quickly from the combined efforts of Zoro and Coby (more so the former than the latter, but that was irrelevant). The two finished their last opponent and put away their weapons.

Jango the Hypnotist, a thin man with colorful clothing, a Egyptian-style beard, and red, heart-shaped glasses 'tsk'ed at his downed men. "Meowban brothers! Get out here!"

Two men emerged from the Bowles of the ship. One was thin and dressed in the top half of a suit top with the sleeves cut off, Jean shorts (that did not match), high socks, hiking boots, and a maroon bow tie. He had light green hair swept to the right and a hunch in his back. His brother was a large, black-haired man with no shirt, red-and-black striped pants, a purple-and-pink striped cape, and a bell around his neck. Both had little cat-ear decorations on their heads and clawed gloves on their hands.

"I'm She-am!" called the thin one.

"And I'm Moochie!" the other called.

"And together we are the Meowban Brothers! At your service." The two jumped off the ship, landing before their captain, and bowed. "You called, Captain Jango?"

"Yes, I did. I need you two to kill these morons in our way."

"What?" She-am yelled.

"B-but they're t-too strong," Moochie whimpered.

"You better do it or Captain Kuro will kill us all! We're late enough as is!"

"Alright!" She-am cried. "Just stop yelling!" The thin man started running toward Zoro and Coby, tears leaking from his eyes. He had all of the Straw Hats fooled.

All but one.

"Don't fall for it, Zoro-sensei!" Coby shouted. "That's She-am of the Meowban Brothers! He and Moochie are known for acting cowardly to catch their opponents off guard! Plus they are the main cat burglars of the Black Cat Pirates!" Suddenly, She-am lunged, but Zoro caught his attack.

"Damn," the brother cursed. "That kid saved your life." She-am leapt back, two sheaths tied to his back. "But he didn't save your swords." He removed the weapon holders only to find them empty of their usual sharp contents. "What?"

"Looking for these?" Zoro asked through his favorite sword, his other two in his hands. "You might have gotten my swords if Coby hadn't given me that warning. Thanks, Shrimp."

"Just be careful, Zoro-sensei. If you died..."

"I'm not gonna die, Shrimp." In the distance, Luffy and Usopp saw Nami sneaking out of the Black Cats' ship with a bag of treasure over her shoulder. Luffy wanted to call out to her, but Usopp slapped his hand over the other teen's mouth.

"Che. So you won't be that easy to beat," She-am threw the sheaths aside and gestured to his brother who lumbered up to stand beside him, "but can you take both of us on at the same time?" The two charged. "Die!"

"Tiger-" Zoro growled, positioning himself so his hand blades were parallel with each other and Perpendicular to both Wado Ichimonji and the ground. He waited until his foes were in range before slicing. "-Trap!"

There was no movement for a moment before looks of shock sprouted on the faces of Zoro's enemies. Blood spurted from their chests and they went down, one of them to never rise again. Moochie painfully pulled himself onto his hands and knees and tried to drag himself over to his captain. His path took him right past Coby who whacked him in the head, knocking him unconscious.

"What the Hell is going on here?" Everyone able to turned to the slope where Klahadore, AKA Captain Kuro, stood with his special gloves on. The man stared down at the battle, his army at the bottom with the exception of the dead and dying on the incline. Their four adversaries, three on the slope and Usopp on higher ground, looked at the butler/pirate with surprise. "How have four brats halted you? Jango?"

"Captain K-Kuro," Jango stuttered. "W-well...T-there was another, as w-well-"

"Oh, I'm sorry," he sassed. " _Five_ brats held you back. Listen well, you imbeciles. You have five minutes to end this fight. After that, I will kill everyone here."

"Oh," Jango squeaked. "Y-yes, thank you. You're too generous, Captain. Men, look at me." He pulled out a small, circular disk on a cord. "On the count of Jango, you will all grow stronger and defeat those whelps. One... two... Jango!"

"AHHHH!" the living pirates yelled, their bodies getting bigger than they had been. Luffy had nearly been caught as well, but Usopp averted Luffy's gaze before the count of the non-number. The small hoard of cat-themed buccaneers rushed at the band of misfits.

"Shrimp! Usopp! Cover our backs. Watch Kuro." The two most-cowardly fighters did so, staring down Kuro who did nothing but stand there with his Catclaws (sword-gloves) hanging at his sides. Battle sounded behind them, but neither turned back for fear of what they would see. Kuro would glance at his watch every now and then before continuing to watch the bloodbath before him. Eventually, Kuro moved.

"Time's up," he said simply. The ex-pirate began wobbling back and forth, head down and eyes shaded. The Black Cat Pirates panicked, trampling each other to try to get away before he suddenly vanished from sight with a burst of unexplainable purple smoke. "Out-of-the-Bag Attack!"

Deep grooves of five parallel lines started appearing everywhere: the ground, the cliff walls, pirates (both good and bad), even the ship. Once, Zoro shoved his sword in front of Coby for seemingly no reason. There was the clang of metal-on-metal and Kuro became visible for a second, an expression of slight shock on his face before he blurred out of sight again.

"Please Captain Kuro! Stop!" The man was cut down.

"Why the Pussyfoot Technique?" Another asked. He never got an answer.

"Why are you doing this?" A pirate's head rolled.

"I don't want to die!" How unfortunate.

"Stop it, you bastard!" Luffy yelled, throwing his arm forward. Five cuts appeared in a small burst of blood, but Luffy's purpose was achieved. Kuro was moving so fast, he couldn't perceive the new obstacle in his way until he'd run into it. Luffy clotheslined the other pirate captain with an angry expression, Kuro tumbling forward due to his extra momentum. "Those are your friends you're killing!"

"Friends?" Kuro warbled, sitting up from where he'd crashed into the cliff head-first. Blood oozed from a cut on his head. "They aren't my friends. They are simply a means to an end; nothing but pawns in a captain's game." So distracted and dizzy was the pirate butler that he didn't notice that his four enemies had approached him.

Luffy grabbed ahold of his left arm and both his legs. Coby claimed the right arm, yanking his glove off of that hand just for good measure. Zoro stood over them, a sword at the man's throat.

"Usopp," Zoro spoke in an emotionless tone. "Would you like to do the honors?"

"With pleasure." The long-nosed sniper lifted his slingshot and loaded a small orange pellet. "This is for Kaya! Exploding Star!" As the name implied, there was a small explosion at the point of contact. Kuro slumped forward, breathing shallowly. He would survive if he received medical attention. Zoro and Coby backed off, the latter going to gather his sword sheaths. Luffy picked up the man's limp form and, with a yell, chucked it at the band of pirates at the bottom of the ravine.

"Leave this island and never come back!" The pirates scrambled onto their ship with their captain and pushed off, fading into the distance as quickly as their ship would allow.

"Usopp/Captain Usopp!" The Straw Hats turned to see the battle's four spectators. Kaya, Pepper, Onion, and Carrot came out from behind the trees where they had hidden themselves when Kuro began his attack. They ran to their village's liar, only for Kaya to trip when nearly there.

Usopp caught her gently and held her as she cried, apologizing for smacking him and not believing him, and something about a man named Merry. Usopp whispered that it was fine, that she was safe, but still she wept. The trio had gathered around them, spouting about how they'd known he was lying about the attack being a lie. While this was happening, Nami returned from stashing her stolen treasure and Coby collapsed from exhaustion, his adrenaline dropping rapidly.

"Please... never... again," Coby wheezed.

"I didn't miss that much, did I?" Nami asked, her eyes scanning the battlefield and the bodies thereupon.

"Don't worry, Nami," Luffy assured as Zoro picked up his now-sleeping student. "We just kicked their asses. How was your haul?"

"They only had a million Beris on their ship, but it wasn't totally boring. Four guards easily overwhelmed."

"Great! Now let's-" Luffy was asleep before he finished his sentence.

 **End of Chapter 8**

* * *

 **Read ad Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	9. Departure and Arrival

**Another chapter at the same time. Thank you to everyone who has Favorited and Followed. I could ask for more Reviews as well, but I won't demand anything. Still, I ask: Please Review to tell me was you like or dislike! I do go through and make final edits before posting, after all.**

* * *

 **Chapter 9:**

 **Departure and Arrival**

"This is the Going Merry," exclaimed Kaya's other butler, a man with sheep-horn-like decorations in his puffy white hair and, coincidentally, named Merry. "She's a caravel, a slightly older model, but one of the fastest types on the seas. We've taken the liberty to stock her with a full month's worth of food." Little did Merry know that his version of a moth's worth and Luffy's version where very different. The crew were too focused on their new ship to enlighten the butler.

The Going Merry was beautiful, with a red-and-white-striped cross sail and a sheep/ram figurehead. The crow's nest was set at the top of the mast and the area over the crew's quarters was a wide space that could be used for anything. A cannon pointed out under the sheep's head and another lay on the deck, kept from falling into the water by a white-painted railing that surrounded the top of the ship. Luffy instantly claimed the figurehead as his personal seat.

"It's amazing," Nami gasped as her 'temporary' captain and their student swordsman inspected the vessel with excitement. "How can we repay you?"

"No payment is necessary," Kaya waved off, stepping over to stand by her caretaker. "We only ask that you take good care of her."

"We will," the navigator nodded. "I can promise you that."

"Oh," Merry clapped. "Mr. Zoro. I heard that you are teaching the boy Coby, so I added a dojo under the crew's quarters with a full set of weights and a couple of bokken."

"Thank you very much," Zoro smirked, a slightly sadistic/slightly evil look coming across his face. "I'll be sure to train him well." On the ship, Coby gulped.

"HELP MEEEEEEE!" a voice cried. It seemed to come from Usopp, who was literally rolling down the road due to the large and overstuffed backpack he was using.

"Stop him!" Luffy ordered. "He's heading right for the ship!" The straw-hat-wearing teen jumped down before he and his First Mate lifted their left and right legs respectively. Usopp stopped when his face met their soles. On the bright side, his nose was spared thanks to the space between Luffy's sandal and Zoro's boot.

"Thanks," the sniper grunted, standing up and wiping the dirt off of his face. "Now it's time for me to set sail! I hope we meet again on the high seas."

"What are you talking about?" Zoro questioned as he climbed onto the boat. "Get on."

"We're friends, aren't we?" Luffy elaborated, stretching up to grab the railing and scaring Merry in the process. "You're on my crew."

"Yes!" Usopp cheered. "I'm a pirate captain!"

"Like Hell! I'm the captain!"

"Usopp," Kaya whispered, grabbing the teen's arm before he could leave. "I know I can't stop you from leaving. You've been saying your dream was to be a pirate like your father for as long as I've known you, but I'm still going to miss you."

"Don't worry, Kaya," the sniper replied, placing a hand over hers and turning to face the blonde. "Just think; when I get back, I'll have true stories so outrageous they'll sound made up. As the old phrase goes: sometimes truth is stranger than fiction."

"I know," she sighed as she pulled out a piece of paper. "Here's my den-den mushi number, so remember to call. Just... be safe. Ok?" Before Usopp could respond, Kaya leaned in and kissed him on the lips. She pulled back after a few seconds, leaving the long-nosed teen dumbstruck. Usopp floundered, his eyes unfocused and his mouth flopping comically. The rich girl gave him a push to wake his brain up. "Now get going, you. Start having those adventures."

"R-right, the sniper stuttered. "Right. Right! I'll travel the world before coming back to tell you of all my amazing adventures!" He climbed on and the ship departed, Luffy, Coby, and Usopp waving frantically as the island faded into the background.

"I'LL BE BACK, KAYA! WAIT FOR ME!" Usopp's voice echoed over the sea.

"Now let's party!" Luffy cheered. "TO ADVENTURE AND OUR NEW NAKAMA!"

"YEAH!"

* * *

The Straw Hats learned a valuable lesson a few days after leaving Gecko Island: don't shoot at random rocks with a cannon or angry bounty hunters will try to wreak your ship.

"Come out, you filthy pirates! I'll teach you to try to kill my partner!" The man was of average height and well-tanned with short black hair and a kanji tattooed on his left cheek. He wore off-white khakis, dull green boots, and a purple shirt under a blue jacket. An average but well-made sword was held in his right hand and sunglasses sat perched on his nose.

"Stop wrecking our ship!" Luffy ordered, bursting out from inside the ship. The man lunged toward the teen, but Luffy had an easy enough time beating him by throwing the bounty hunter into the railing, breaking part of the ship in the process.

"Don't break the Merry, Luffy!" Usopp cried as he exited the dinning hall, the sound of destruction alerting him to the damage.

"What the Hell is going on out here?" Zoro demanded, coming out from below deck where he had been training Coby in the dojo. Said boy followed him, peeking out from behind his teacher. The green-haired man looked down to see the intruder spread eagle on the deck. "What the Hell are you doing here, Johnny?"

The man started at the sound of his name. There was a moment of hesitation during which he took in the form of the green-haired swordsman.

"Big Bro Zoro?" he questioned. "What are you doing here? Why are you on a pirate ship?" He noticed Coby. "And who's the runt?"

"Relax, I'll explain later and the shrimp here is Coby, my student. Where's Yosaku?"

"I... He's..." Johnny started crying and rushed to the side of the ship where another, smaller boat was hooked to the Going Merry. Zoro and Coby followed at a slower rate. On the boat was a man paler than Kaya had been. He had a shaved head covered with a red helmet and he was dressed in a black shirt under a green trench coat. The man also wore yellow and red plaid shorts and brown boots. A bloody bandage was wrapped around his waist and his head was bleeding slowly. This was Yosaku. Johnny explained that they had been on the small rock that the pirates had shot with the cannon as Luffy, Coby, and Usopp carried the other bounty hunter onto the Merry.

"Give it to me straight, Big Bro," Johnny cried. "Is he gonna die?"

"Now don't think that," Zoro tried to reason. Nami made herself known by walking up to and examining the injured man.

"You're all a bunch of morons," she announced. "You three," she pointed at the youngest of the crew, "we've got a bunch of limes in the storage room. Bring some up. You. Johnny, right? Your partner has scurvy."

"Scurvy?" Johnny questioned. "Will he be ok, Big Sis?"

"One: he hasn't been eating right, so he doesn't have enough vitamin C in his bloodstream and should be fine if we get fruit into him soon enough. Two: don't call me Sis." The three Nami had sent down returned and started squeezing juice from four limes into the sick man's open mouth. Yosaku sprang up after five seconds, looking healthy.

"Hooray, hooray!" The two men cheered, dancing together. "Hooray, hooray!"

"You can't be that healthy instantly!" Nami yelled.

"Allow us to introduce ourselves," Johnny said, either ignoring or not hearing the orange-haired girl. "I'm Johnny."

"And I'm Yosaku!"

"And together, we are the best bounty hunting duo in the universe!"

"Big Bro Zoro used to be one of us, too," Johnny continued after their announcement. "Never thought we'd find you on a pirate ship, though." Zoro and Johnny clasped hands and Yosaku went to join only to collapse again.

"Mr. Yosaku!" Coby yelled.

* * *

"So... you picked up a student?" Johnny asked in wonder. He and the Straw Hats were lounging in the kitchen/dining room while Yosaku slept off his illness. "You'd always said you'd never do that."

"It's a long story," Zoro waved off. Next to him, Coby was doing push-ups to strengthen himself. "Deeper, Shrimp. They won't help you if you only go halfway."

"Yes, Zoro-sensei," Coby grunted as Nami finished writing in the ship's logbook. She'd taken it upon herself to do so since Luffy's handwriting was terrible and he wouldn't take the time to do it anyway.

"And let that be a lesson, Johnny," she muttered, shutting the book. "You and Yosaku need proper nutrition. I suggest one of you learn how to cook."

"That's something we need!" Luffy shouted. "We need a cook! Right after we get a musician."

"A cook, huh?" Johnny chuckled as Zoro smacked his captain in the back of the head. "If that case, I know the perfect place. It's near the Grand Line, but it's said to be the best restaurant in the world. And there have also been rumors that a certain hawk-eyed man is in the general area."

Zoro's eyes widened. "Which way?" he demanded.

"Set a course north/northeast!"

* * *

"I am Marine Lieutenant. 'Iron Fist' Fullbody!" the tan, pink-haired man yelled from the Marine ship sailing alongside the Going Merry. He was dressed in a yellow suit and had a scar on his right cheek. His knuckles were covered in an iron plating that looked like screws. "But you can just call me 'Sir'. Who is the captain of your vessel? I don't recognize your flag." Coby's eyes were shaded at the appearance of another apparently arrogant marine proving to him that the whole system was corrupt. How often does one come across two different, unrelated, and corrupt marines in one week?

"I am," Luffy announced, stepping forward. "I'm Luffy."

"And I'm Usopp!"

"We just painted our flag yesterday," Luffy continued.

"And I'm the one that painted it!"

"Shut up, Usopp," Zoro ordered.

The lieutenant scanned the boat until he saw Johnny and Yosaku trying to hide behind a door. "Aren't you two the bounty Hunter duo that goes around catching small fry?"

"Small fry?" Johnny yelled. "Do you call these people 'small fry'?" He threw a stack of wanted posters into the air, some of them having red Xs on them. Nami grabbed one when she thought no one was looking, but Coby saw it. It was a poster for the infamous fishman, Arlong.

Fullbody didn't seem to care. "They're an eyesore," the marine told his men as he and his lovely date disembarked. "Sink them."

"Yes Sir!"

"They're pointing a cannon at us," Coby warned. "Why are they pointing a cannon at us?"

"I got this," Luffy announced as the cannon fired. He stretched his arms out to grab the mast and the figurehead. "Gum-Gum Slingshot!" The cannonball slammed into him, stretching out his arms and legs (much to the shock of the bounty hunters and the marine's watching). His left hand lost its grip and he tilted. The cannonball shot off as he snapped back to normal, slamming into the restaurant.

"Aww, dammit." Zoro cursed.

 **End of Chapter 9**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	10. Sanji the Sous Chef

**Another day, another chapter. And here I introduce our favorite cook of the seas! Just a little warning: there is a little explicit language every now-and-then, this chapter being the first and last for a while. Thought you ought to know.**

* * *

 **Chapter 10:**

 **Sanji the Sous Chef**

 _"I got this," Luffy announced as the cannon fired. He stretched his arms out to grab the mast and the figurehead. "Gum-Gum Slingshot!" The cannonball slammed into him, stretching out his arms and legs. His left hand lost its grip and he tilted. The cannonball shot off as he snapped back to normal, slamming into the restaurant._

 _"Aww, dammit." Zoro cursed._

* * *

Luffy was roughly dragged into the restaurant by a couple of angry cooks, Coby frantically following behind.

"Please," Coby begged, the chefs ignoring the rosette behind them. "It was an accident!"

"We don't care," one of the chefs finally grunted. "Someone has to pay for the damages." The group stopped before a plain, wooden door. The other cook, the one that hadn't talked, shoved the door open and threw Luffy in.

"Head Chef Zeff," he stated, as Luffy fell to the floor in an undignified heap. "This is the brat that attacked the restaurant."

"Please," Coby begged on behalf of his rubbery captain as the cooks left with two dismissive grunts. "This is all a misunderstanding. The Marines were firing on us. It was their cannonball."

"Really now?" asked the man inside, Zeff. He was a tall, rotund man with a braided blond moustache, a small beard, and short hair. He was dressed in a regular cook outfit with the exception of his pants being shorts, revealing that his right leg was missing from the knee down and was replaced with a peg leg. His chef hat was so tall that it brushed the ceiling. "And where is the captain of the Marine ship that fired upon you?"

"He and his date are in the restaurant," Coby answered before Luffy could say something stupid. Knowing him, he'd probably say it was their fault and have to work for a year to pay it off or some such nonsense.

"Are you ok, old guy?" Luffy asked before seeing his peg leg. "Oh god! Your leg!"

"Captain Luffy, did you accidently blow his leg off?!"

"Shut up, you brats!" Zeff yelled. "My leg has been like this for years!

"Oh. Good." Luffy went back to normal, knowing that he was not the cause of the man's stump leg.

"Seriously though," Zeff said. "Who's going to pay for the damages?"

"DON'T FUCK WITH ME, YOU DAMN WAITER!" a voice roared from the dining room.

"That sounded like that Fullbody guy," Luffy observed as the voice from below echoed around the room.

"That sounds like Sanji's doing," Zeff sighed at the same time. The three in the room made their exit to the dining room where they found Lieutenant Fullbody, bloody and beaten, being held up by his neck by a blond man in a nice suit. The blond had a curly eyebrow over his visible right eye, the left one covered by his hair, and a lit cigarette in his mouth. The table next to them was smashed to pieces, broken china and spilled soup on the ground next to it. The man in the suit was revealed to be Sanji when one of the cooks yelled at him for beating up an important customer.

"Sanji, you asshole!" a cook with giant arms raged. "That man is a Marine Lieutenant!"

"He disrespected the food and he disrespected me," Sanji spat, as if that explained why he had used the marine as a punching bag. He dropped the man who landed in a crumpled and moaning heap. "And for the last time, I'm the Sous Chef, not a damn waiter." As Sanji began arguing with the other chefs, Fullbody started to crawl away only to be stopped when one of his men ran to the door.

"Lieutenant Fullbody!" the other marine called, not seeing his commander but hoping Fullbody could hear him. "We've got terrible news! The Krieg pirate we'd captured has escaped! We've already lost seven men!"

"What?" Fullbody gasped from the floor. "How? He was on the verge of starvation when we caught him three days ago and we haven't fed him since!"

"I'm sorry, I do-" There was a gunshot and the man collapsed, dead. Behind the body was a man with a smoking flintlock dressed in gray pants, a green shirt under a gray jacket with red sea serpent designs, and a blue and gray striped headband. The man himself was tan and rail thin with scruffy black hair and a scraggly beard from not shaving while in captivity. He also had bags under his eyes and two large bead earrings on each ear. This was Gin, the Man-Demon of the Krieg Pirates.

The murderer limped into the establishment, ignoring the sniffling Lieutenant, and fell into a seat while throwing one leg onto the table to try to hide his misery. The chef who'd yelled at Sanji walked over with a big and obviously fake smile.

"Welcome to the Baratié, ya damn crook. My name's Patty. What can I get you?"

"I don't care," the man growled over the sounds of his empty stomach. "Just bring me food."

"May I ask how you're going to pay for this meal?"

Gin pulled out the gun he'd used to kill the marine and pointed it at the chef. "Do you take lead?"

Patty wasn't fazed by the obviously loaded weapon, but he did seem to get a mixture of excitement and disappointment from the answer. "So you don't have any money?" The chef brought his two huge fists up and slammed them down on the pirate, breaking the chair the man was sitting in.

"Dammit, Patty," Zeff muttered as Patty proceeded to beat the ever-living crap out of the starving man and the crowd cheered him on. "Not another chair." Unknown to either of the fighting men, Sanji had made an exit to the kitchen. Finally, after kicking him while he was down for a good five minutes, Patty threw Gin over his shoulder and carried him out behind the restaurant where he unceremoniously dumped him on the deck. Luffy ran up to the second floor and outside to the top deck to watch what would happen. Coby followed to prevent him from damaging anything.

"And stay out," Patty grunted, wiping his hands. Gin moaned hungrily as the chef walked back inside. Luffy wanted to go down and help, but Coby held him back, warning him that that was 'Man-Demon' Gin of the Krieg Pirates, one of the deadliest men in all of the East Blue. While they were arguing, Luffy insisting that they help while Coby demanded that they let him starve, Sanji came out with a plate of food and a glass of water that he placed in front of the starving pirate.

"Here," the blond chef ordered. "Eat."

"I don't want your charity," Gin spat, turning away from the food he so obviously wanted. The pirate's stomach protested.

"The sea is crazy, isn't it?" Sanji sighed, sitting down next to the dangerous man and lighting a cigarette. "It can mean absolute death if you run out of food. I know what it's like to starve because of the sea and I can't stand seeing anyone go through that, so eat. Survive today so you can defend your honor tomorrow." Gin's resolve crumbled and he dove for the food, scarfing it down like he hadn't eaten in days (which he hadn't).

"It's so good," he cried happily, tears streaming down his face as he shoveled more and more food into his mouth, "but I can't help but think that you're going to get fired because of me."

"Don't worry about it," Sanji replied as Gin finished his food. "This isn't the first time I've done this."

"I like you," Luffy stated before Coby could stop him, making their presence known and shocking both men below. "I'm looking for a cook for my pirate crew and I've decided I want you."

"I'm sorry," Sanji blinked, "but I can't leave. I owe the old man too much."

"So you refuse?"

"Yes."

"I refuse your refusal," Luffy responded, crossing his arms.

"THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS, MORON/CAPTAIN!" the three other men yelled. Luffy remained unfazed.

"Well I'm not gonna leave until I have you on my crew," the teenage pirate captain declared.

"You're a pirate, right?" Gin asked, getting a nod from the rubber-man. "Obviously you're just starting if you're looking for a cook. Let me give you some advice. Stay away from the Grand Line. That sea defies logic and is only a death sentence."

"Well, thanks," Luffy smiled, "but I'm going to the Grand Line no matter what you say. I'm after the One Piece and that's where it is."

"I can't stop you," Gin sighed. "It's your death."

"Here, Gin," Sanji interrupted, untying a small boat. "You can take this to leave."

"Thank you."

"Sanji! Get back to work!" Zeff yelled from somewhere over them.

"I'm sorry, Sanji," Gin apologized. "You'll probably get yelled at because of me." In response, the chef picked up the empty dishes and threw them into the ocean.

"There. No evidence, no problem." Gin balked before falling to the deck.

"Thank you! Thank you so much! I'll never forget your kindness!" As he sailed off into the distance, Sanji, Luffy, and Coby went back inside, the former to work and the latter two to join his crew at their table.

* * *

When Sanji met Nami it was... interesting.

"Oh my love!" he'd yelled, kneeling by their table with a rose he'd pulled out from somewhere. "To think that the sea would bring me a beauty such as yourself! I am prepared to become a pirate if it would mean that I could sail by your side! But alas! An obstacle too great to overcome stands in our way!"

"And that obstacle would be me," Zeff had said, watching the interaction. Sanji jumped in surprise. "Go on, Boy. I haven't a need of you in my restaurant any longer, not a crappy cook like you, anyway."

"No way, you shitty old man!" Sanji cursed, rounding on the older chef. "I pledged my life to you and your restaurant, so I'm not leaving. And don't you dare insult my cooking!"

"I'll insult you all I want, brat!" Zeff rebuffed, his fist coming down to leave a lump on the other blond. "I taught you everything you know! You should be more grateful! Now get out of my restaurant!"

"I'm not leaving until you drop dead, Old Man!"

"I've still got another hundred years to go, Runt!" Sanji stormed off, slamming the kitchen door open. "Little punk," Zeff muttered, hobbling off after the younger man.

Little did they know the next week would change Sanji's life.

 **End of Chapter 10**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	11. Krieg's Attack and Zoro's Vow

**Here we go, another chapter amidst the chaos that my life has become with the approach of finals. I feel like this and concert band are the only things I enjoy now that my workload is through the roof. Anyway...**

* * *

 **Chapter 11:**

 **Krieg's Attack and Zoro's Vow**

The Straw Hats stayed docked at the Baratié for six more days, Luffy pestering Sanji to join his crew the whole time. Zoro and Coby used that time to train. The older man would push the younger far past the breaking point each day, but it had noticeable results. By their third day on the Baratié, Coby was able to lift two bokken at once and he could use them on the fourth. He'd also taken to wearing them strapped across his back in an X shape so there was one handle over each shoulder.

Nice weather became prominent in the area, so Zoro had them training outside on the decks. The customers, most of them anyway, enjoyed watching the boy run laps to increase his speed and stamina in the mornings. In the afternoons, Zeff would raise the ship's extra platform from below the sea so Coby and Zoro could spar and give the customers a show, the former with both wooden swords and the latter with only a sheathed Wado Ichimonji. After dinner, they would go into the dojo on the Going Merry and lift weights until Coby couldn't move. Zoro would then take him to the men's quarters before going back to training. By the sixth day, Coby had lost most of his extra weight and would probably be able to hold his own in a fight. Don Krieg arrived in the seventh day.

Zoro smirked at his student, the young rosette scowling as he tried in vain to overpower the man's block with his own double overhead swing. With little effort, Zoro pushed up and dislodged Coby, causing the boy to stumble backwards and lose his balance as well as his weapons. Almost casually, Zoro strode forward and tapped his sheathed weapon on the boy's neck.

"Dead."

"For the fifth time," Coby grumbled, reaching over to grab his bokken.

"Hey, look at I this way. It took me almost two minutes to overpower you that time."

"It's still not enough," Coby whined, securing his wooden weapons on his back. "I won't be of any use to Captain Luffy until I'm strong enough to beat anyone who threatens our crew. At this level, I'm nothing but a reliability."

"I wouldn't say that," Zoro replied as they stepped into the restaurant. "I bet you would be able to take down any of those pirates from Usopp's island one on one at your level."

"Really?" Zoro only smirked in response as they reached the table with the rest of their crew. Sanji danced away with a dopey grin on his face, leaving a giant sundae in front of their only female crewmember. Nami shook her head, taking only a single bite from the ice cream before pushing it toward Luffy and /Usopp, the former of who swallow the rest in one gulp.

I'm going to go change," Nami announced, standing. She ignored the mired of sounds her crew responded with and left the establishment.

"So what now?" Usopp asked, somewhat sour at not getting any of the ice cream Luffy had snatched from under his long nose. "It's getting really boring here."

"You could train with us," Zoro suggested with an evil smile, the sniper paling at the idea.

"I'm getting close to breaking Sanji," Luffy said. "I can feel it."

"Krieg!" a patron yelled, standing so quickly that his chair toppled. "Don Krieg is here!" The customers panicked and fled. Looking out the window, a great shape in the fog grew closer a ragged ship tapped the seafaring restaurant. A moment later, the front door flew open. At the entrance stood Gin once more, this time with a large man slung over his side.

"Please," the man begged. "Help him. Please!"

"Yeah right!" Patty laughed. "This is a golden chance! Someone call the Marines right now!"

"No!" Gin cried. "If it's money you want, we can pay this time! Just help him!"

"Like we'd help a man like Don Krieg," Carne scoffed. "The world would be better off without him!"

"I promise I won't attack the restaurant," the man, who Luffy suspected was Krieg, vowed. "Just give me food." Don Krieg was an older man with short, gray hair, long sideburns, and a square face that was ragged and gaunt from hunger. His dress involved golden, fur-lined armor with his jolly roger on each shoulder covered by the jacket he was using as a cape. Under his chest plate was a gray shirt and dark pants hung on his waist. Bandages were wrapped around his head and various parts of his body. Pulling his arm back from his subordinate, Krieg threw himself on the ground and bowed.

"Don, no!" Gin cried. "This is unbecoming of you."

Patty laughed. "Haha-urk!" With a sudden jolt, the large chef was thrown to the side. Sanji walked through the space Patty had previously occupied, a plate of food coming to rest in front of the sickly villain. The older man forwent table manners and dug in with his hands, Gin thanking the chef profusely.

"What's so special about this guy?" Luffy wondered aloud.

"You don't know?!" Coby all but yelled. "'Admiral' Dog Krieg is a man wanted for 17 million Beris by the World Government for unspeakable acts! He got his start as a piratr by enlisting in the Navy before killing his commander and stealing his ship! Since then, he's used every dirty trick in the book to win including using Marine flags to inter cities before killing everyone there!"

Luffy was appalled. He truly hated people like that, but the situation only truly escalated when Krieg, after finishing his meal, attacked Sanji. Gin could only watch as his captain struck the man who had saved them both.

"Don Krieg!" Gin shouted. "Why did you do that?! He saved our lives! I only brought you here because you'd promised not to attack!

"Yes," he'd responded. "The food was delicious." The customers fled in terror, leaving only the chefs and workers left. "This is a pretty nice ship. I think I'll take it."

"Don Krieg!" Gin cried. "Please!" Krieg ignored him. "Sanji, I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean for th-this to happen."

"I have about a hundred men on my ship," Krieg continued, ignoring his subordinate, "all weak with hunger. Feed them and leave, and I'll leave you alive." Sanji turned and started walking away.

"Sanji?" Patty asked. "Where are you going?"

"To the kitchen. I have a hundred meals to make."

"WHAT?!" Sanji was stopped by all the cooks. Patty took it a step further, beating Sanji into the ground.

"I don't care who was right and wrong all those times you fed the scumbags I'd thrown out of here, but this time you're just wrong." He walked over to one wall that he slid open to reveal a hidden compartment. Out of it, he pulled a lobster-shaped cannon. "I hope you saved room for dessert, cause here's the Meatball of Doom!" He shot a cannonball at Krieg who took the shot head-on. "Oops," Patty laughed. "Looks like I broke the doors."

The smoke cleared as the cooks laughed, revealing Krieg without a scratch. The pirate responded by activating his armor's weapons and opened fire on the cooks. Many of them only went down with minor injuries, others not so much. Zeff entered the scene, a large sack over his shoulder like a one-legged Santa. He dropped it in front of the notorious pirate.

"Here," he said. "That's about a hundred meals."

"HEAD CHEF ZEFF!" the cooks cried. Krieg seemed to recognize the name because his eyes widened.

"You're Red Foot Zeff," he gasped in reverence. "The unrivalled captain who was also the ship's cook. They say you got your name because you only used your feet in battle and they were always covered in the blood of your enemies. So you _are_ alive."

"I am," Zeff nodded. I lose a leg, but I can still cook."

"Give me your logbook," Krieg demanded. "The Grand Line may have bested me once, but with your logbook, I would be unstoppable! I'd become the King of the Pirates!"

"No way!" Luffy yelled. "I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!"

"Shut up, Captain Luffy!" Coby shouted in worry. "He'll kill you!"

"Brat," Krieg growled, "I don't have time to deal with you right now. After I feed my men, I'll finish you off." The Admiral carried the food out of the broken doors and onto his flagship. Gin stayed behind, crying from his inner turmoil. Should he follow his captain, the man he respected the most and had listened to for years, or turn his back on Krieg because of his blatant betrayal of the man who had saved their lives?

"I'm so sorry," he cried.

"Don't apologize, Gin," Sanji told him. "Once they're fed, I have no obligation toward them. I'll kill any man who attacks this restaurant as long as they have food in their stomachs."

"Please," Gin begged. "Please leave. I don't want to see you die."

"We don't care. This restaurant is our livelihood and the old man's dream. We won't abandon it until we're dead."

"Hey, Gin," Luffy interrupted. "I thought you said you didn't know anything about the Grand Line.

"I don't know anything anymore. Our entire fleet was wiped out in only seven days! All by one man. I can still feel his murderous gaze like the cold hand of death. His eyes were like a hawk's."

Zoro and Coby tensed. "Hawk-eye Mihawk," the older of the two muttered.

"You know him, Zoro?" Luffy asked.

"How could you not know him, Luffy?" Coby questioned. "He's the world's greatest swordsman and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"

"Huh. Neat."

"I'm sorry," Gin cried as the cooks prepared for war. "I'm so sorry."

* * *

Krieg's ship was in tatters, masts leaning, sail's torn, planks broken. It was a miracle that the ship was even together, much less sea-worthy. That didn't change how surprising it was when it began sinking.

Two cuts. That's all he needed. The flagship was cut into three pieces, some of the men unable to save themselves from drowning. The majority of them managed to hang on to debris or swim to the platform Zeff had left up from Zoro and Coby's training.

Hawk-eye Mihawk had come on a small, coffin-shaped raft with giant candles burning green fire. He was dressed in a red musketeer outfit complete with a white feather. On his back was a grand sword with a gold handle encrusted with various jewels. Around his neck was a pain gold cross. He had a small moustache and goatee and his eyes were yellow and cold.

Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, and Coby had rushed outside, worried about the Going Merry due to all the massive waves caused by the sinking ship. When they got outside, they found Johnny and Yosaku swimming to the deck and the Merry nowhere to be found.

"Big Bro Zoro! Big Bro Luffy! Big Bro Usopp! Little Bro Coby! Big Sis Nami took the ship and left!" They explained that she'd pushed them off before saying that they would see each other again if it was meant to be. Luffy ordered them to follow her, but plans changed when Zoro caught sight of Mihawk.

"Why are you doing this?" the Krieg Pirates shouted at the man on the raft.

"Just killing time," he replied nonchalantly.

Zoro approached the man from the slowly sinking ship, tying his bandana around his head. "You are Hawk-eye Mihawk, are you not? My name is Roranoa Zoro and I challenge you to a duel."

"Holy shit!" a pirate cursed. "Three swords!"

"Roranoa Zoro!" another gasped, the group at large backing away slowly. "He's the Demon Butcher of the East Blue!" Mihawk calmly made his way onto the ship before pulling off his necklace. He opened it to reveal a blade no bigger than a butter knife.

"So you are well-known around these parts," the swordsman observed. "Still, this is the most peaceful of the Four Seas. One shouldn't use a cannonball to kill a fly, but it still feels like I'm shooting a gnat. I'm sorry; I don't have anything smaller than this." The Warlord said this without any mocking tone. Zoro was insulted anyway.

"Demon Slash!" He pulled his swords out and charged, but the man held him back with ease. Zoro pulled back and dove forward, attacking with everything he had.

"Tell me," Mihawk said without emotion, countering effortlessly. "What drives you forward? Why do you fight?"

Zoro stopped his assault to reply, backing away to put distance between the combatants. "I fight for my dream and my ambition," he answered. "I _will_ be the world's greatest swordsman, and to do that I must defeat you. Tiger Trap!" Zoro attacked again, but his swords never connected. He continued to swig, his attacks becoming more frenzied as the time drug on. Mihawk's eyes stayed on the green-haired man as he began to sweat. Finally, Zoro overextended, the warlord's small knife stabbing Zoro just over his heart, piercing his left lung.

"You aren't stepping back," Mihawk observed as blood dripped from the wound. "Why not?"

"I don't know," the younger pirate coughed, "but I can't step back. If I retreat even a single step, I'd be turning my back on all the promises I've made."

"I like your determination. State your name."

"I am Roranoa Zoro."

"I will remember your name, Roranoa Zoro," Mihawk stated, pulling his knife out of the pirate. "You have a strong heart, so I'll fight you with the world's strongest Black Blade."

"I'm honored." Zoro began spinning his swords. "Three Sword Style Secret Technique: 3000 Worlds!" The two attacked, stopping behind each other. The two swords Zoro held in his hands shattered and blood spurted from a new wound in his chest. Disappointed but content, Zoro removed Wado Ichimonji from his mouth, sheathed it, and coughed red before turning to face his adversary and raising his arms.

"Why do you not run? It is obvious you are beaten."

"Scars on the back are a swordsman's shame."

"Very well." Hawk-eye smirked, liking the phrase, and brought his sword down across the green-haired man's chest. Zoro fell into the ocean with another spurt of blood.

"BIG BRO ZORO/ZORO-SENSEI/ZORO!" The bounty hunters and Zoro's student dove into the water after him and carried him back to the ship Johnny and Yosaku had arrived in.

"You bastard!" Luffy shouted, but before he could attack, Mihawk spoke.

"He will not die. It has been a long time since I have found a worthy opponent. My name is Dracule Mihawk! Become stronger, Roranoa Zoro, and seek me out! We will have a proper duel then."

Zoro raised his now-single sword. "Luffy," he wheezed for all to hear. "I'm sorry. I've failed you. From this moment on, I will never lose again. Not until I am the strongest. Is that alright, King of the Pirates?!"

 **End of Chapter 11**

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 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	12. Gin's Resolve

**Wish me luck; Finals are coming! Also, I was wrong about Krieg's bounty. It's 17 mil, not 30. I've gone back and fixed that, but otherwise the chapter didn't change. It's also longer.**

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 **Chapter 12:**

 **Gin's Resolve**

 _Zoro raised his now-single sword. "Luffy," he wheezed for all to hear. "I'm sorry. I've failed you. From this moment on, I will never lose again. Not until I am the strongest. Is that alright, King of the Pirates?!"_

After the declaration, Luffy ordered Usopp, Johnny, Yosaku, and the wounded Zoro to follow Nami and the Merry. Coby had insisted on staying, saying that if Zoro couldn't fight, he'd have to take his place. Mihawk had vanished in the chaos after his and Zoro's fight, much to the Krieg Pirates' relief.

"Take that ship!" Krieg yelled. "Kill the geezer and take his logbook!"

The man's crew, their spirits lifted with the disappearance of the Warlord, complied and attacked. The cooks didn't seem to be a match for the pirates, their tools shattering under the onslaught of the pirates' superior weapons. Sanji, on the other hand, was a beast on the battlefield. He fought with only his feet, taking the pirates by surprise.

"Krieg!" Luffy yelled, stretching his arm to grab one of the masts of the sinking ship. His move shocked everyone with the exception of Coby and Zeff. "I don't like you, so I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"What the Hell is he?" Sanji asked himself as he watched the one who wanted him (Sanji) to become a pirate perform the inhuman act.

Krieg got over his shock quickly. "You've eaten a Devil Fruit, haven't you?" he growled.

"Yup. I'm a rubber-man."

"Either way, I'll still kill you, brat." Luffy and Krieg started fighting on the wrecked ship, Luffy jumping around like a monkey and Krieg trying to hit him. "Stay still you damn monkey!"

"That _is_ my family name!" Luffy taunted.

On the fins of the Baratié, many of Krieg's men were still confused at what had just happened. Coby, in a showing of just how much of Luffy's personality had rubbed off on him, was running around and knocking pirates unconscious with his bokken. He was at the edge of the platform when a pirate finally tried to fight back.

"You little brat. What do you think you can do with a couple of sticks against a real sword?" The pirate brought his weapon down on the pink-haired boy who blocked it with a cross block.

"You'd be surprised how durable wood can be." He pulled back, smacking the man in the arm for good measure.

"You little shit-"

Coby cut him off by spinning both his bokken into reverse grips and bringing them up next to his head. "Bull Needle!" Using one of the first moves he'd learned from Zoro, Coby ran forward and slammed his wooden swords into the man's chest, flinging him out into the ocean. Coby smirked at the shocked pirates; they were nothing compared to his teacher.

Meanwhile, a new pirate had found his way onto the Baratié's fins. This man, with droopy black hair and an 'I'm better than you' expression, was covered in pearl and steel armor (complete with a matching hat). This was Pearl, the Invincible Wall.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked as Sanji challenged him. "I am the Invincible Wall, Pearl of the Krieg Pirates! I have fought in 61 battles and never lost even an ounce of my blood! You can never beat me!" He was cut off when Luffy, who had been hit with Krieg's spiked ball, fell onto his head, causing a nosebleed. Of course, Luffy being rubber, the younger pirate wasn't affected.

"Ow," Luffy complained as he stood and wiped his hat off. "That actually kinda hurt, you bastard."

"M-my blood," Pearl whispered in horror, his crewmates trying to convince him that it wasn't a battle wound without success. "These people are nuts!" He started banging his two giant shields together. "Danger! Danger! DANGER! FIRE PEARL!" His armor started burning blue and small pearls, also on fire, shot out and ignited the surrounding deck, pirates, and cooks indiscriminately. He shot six more pearls at the restaurant, but Zeff put them out with a single kick. Pearl was even more surprised when Sanji's leg met his face.

"B-but," he stammered, more blood dripping from his nose. "My fire scares away everyone! Why aren't you scared?!"

"If I was afraid of fire, I wouldn't be a cook." Just to add insult to injury, Sanji lit a cigarette with the fire around them.

"Danger! DANGER!" Pearl panicked.

"Pearl, stop!" Krieg yelled. "You're going to burn down my new ship!" Krieg sighed when the man didn't listen. He threw his spiked ball hoping to kill Sanji and knock Pearl unconscious, but Luffy intervened.

"Gum-Gum Bazooka!" Luffy shouted, throwing the weapon back. It crashed into the base of one of the masts which fell like a cut tree. Coincidentally, it landed on Pearl, knocking him out. Small fires raged on.

"STOP WHERE YOU ARE OR I KILL ZEFF!" Gin yelled, grabbing everyone's attention. He had exited the restaurant, knocked Zeff to the ground, and now had his flintlock pressed to the old man's temple.

"Do it!" Krieg roared. "With Zeff dead, the cooks will give up!"

"But Don Krieg!" Gin tried to protest, his sense of honor telling him to spare Zeff like Sanji had him. "We owe Zeff and Sanji our lives!"

"When I give you an order, you do it without question! Kill him!"

"No," Sanji argued, pulling Gin's attention to himself. "Point that gun at me. Leave the geezer out of this." Gin wrestled with himself again, but in the end, his hesitation took the decision from him. A blob of white and pink in the corner of his vision was all the warning the Man-Demon had before one bokken slammed into his face and another knocked the gun out of his hand.

"Sanji! Behind you!" the little swordsmen shouted as Gin began to recover. Coby's warning came in time, allowing the chef to turn, see a now-awake Pearl try to attack, and counter by roundhouse kicking him in the face. Pearl flew toward Gin who pulled out his weighted tonfa and knocked him aside with an attack strong enough to shatter the man's armor, rendering Pearl out cold for the remainder of the fight.

"You were in my way, Pearl," Gin commented emotionlessly as he started to spin his tonfa. Killing a defenseless Zeff was different than fighting an awake Sanji and his duty to Krieg hardened. "Sanji, I'm sorry it has to be this way, but you will die by my hand. Now." He lunged, swinging at the chef who cartwheeled out of the way. While on his hands, Sanji twisted his body and kicked his foe in the head. Gin collapsed at the unexpected attack, but was able to lash out with his right-hand weapon. The iron weight hit Sanji in the ribs, cracking two of them. The two fighters stumbled away from each other, clutching at whatever part of their body was struck. Both had blood dribbling from their mouths, but it seemed obvious that Sanji was worse off.

"Please, Sanji," Gin begged, righting himself. "I don't want to hurt you. If you'd just leave-"

"I will not leave until my debt to the old man is repaid!" the chef growled. Gin swung his right tonfa again, but the Sanji was able to stop it with the sole of his left foot. "Is that all you've got?" he questioned, slamming the weight into the fin and standing on it. The blonde brought his other leg up and kicked Gin in the chest, causing him to lose his hold on the weapon stuck in the wood.

Gin stood from where he'd landed several feet away and shifted his only weapon from his left hand to his right. He charged and swung vertically, but overextended (whether on purpose or on accident was debatable). Sanji responded by jumping up and locking both feet on either side of his foe's torso before spinning him so that Gin's head crushed the wood beneath them. Gin tried to get up and shrug the blow off, but he was too disoriented to stand.

"I'ma sorry, Don Krieg," he slurred. "'e's too much fer me."

"Too much?!" Krieg roared. "Too much?! Krieg pirates never have a 'too much'. I have no need for a worthless pirate that faces 'too much'! You're fired, Gin!"

"Bu' Don Krieg-"

"You're fired! Kill yourself now!"

"I... yesser." Gin crawled over to where his flintlock had fallen and raised it to his head, ready to pull the trigger, but before he could do so, Luffy's fist met his face. Gin fell unconscious and the gun tumbled from his relaxed grip.

"Oh no you don't," Luffy chastised. "I like you, so you aren't gonna die on my watch."

"That bastard couldn't even follow my last order," Krieg sighed. "Well, it doesn't matter; he'll die anyway. Men! Get your masks!"

"No!" shouted a pirate. "Not the HM5!" Krieg didn't listen. He lifted up the shield from his left shoulder and pointed it at the Baratié as the plates separated to point the barrel of the firing mechanism. The pirates scrambled to get gas masks from within their clothes and cooks dove into the sea. Luffy, worried for his crewmates (though Sanji wouldn't admit he was one) stretched his arms to a couple of pirates and ripped their masks off before tossing them to Coby and Sanji. The chef hurried to Gin's side, shuffled though the unconscious man's jacket, and placed his mask on his face. Krieg fired the poison bomb.

Luffy was surprised when a gas mask was shoved onto his own face, but he was too concerned to question it at the moment. Krieg laughed had he watched the purple poison cloud cover the fish-shaped ship. He was certain that Gin, the cook, and Straw Hat were dying from the gas, but when the smoke cleared, he did not see their lifeless corpses.

"No!" Luffy wailed, dropping his mask. "Coby!" Indeed, the mask that had saved Luffy had not come from nowhere. Zoro's student had dropped his wooden swords to catch the mask and had prioritized his captain's life over his own. The boy was on the ground, deathly pale with a sickly blue tint. He'd held his breath as long as he could, but the cloud had lasted far longer.

"Come on, Coby!" Luffy pleaded as Patty, Carne, and Zeff came back out of the restaurant where they'd been hiding from the gas. "Speak to me!"

"C-Captain," Coby wheezed. "Tell Zoro-sensei, I-I'm sorry."

"Oh no. Oh no no no. You are not dying here!"

"Patty! Carne! Get the kit!" Sanji ordered.

"But Sanji," Patty argued. "The kit's for food poisoning."

"It's his best chance!" Sanji ran over to the poisoned Coby and carried him to the doors where the other two chefs took him into the building. Luffy's eyes were shaded by his hat, a sign to anyone that knew him that someone had just pissed him off and royally screwed themselves over.

"Krieg." Luffy's voice was low, danger-filled and murderous. "You have just signed your death warrant. No one harms my nakama in front of me and lives. Sanji, hold my hat." He thrusted his straw hat at the cook and began taking slow, deliberate steps toward the older pirate. Krieg stayed where he was and formed his Battle Spear.

When Luffy was on the fallen mast, Krieg attacked. He struck the end of the mast with his spear which caused a large explosion. Luffy didn't even flinch. Using the momentum of his side of the mast being forced up like a giant pivot, he jumped into the air and put his feet together.

"Spear!" He thrusted his feet forward, kicking the pirate admiral in the face. Luffy's voice had lost the airy tone it usually held when he called out his attacks. Krieg went down as the teen landed, but Luffy didn't let up. He leapt forward and grabbed Krieg's shoulders, flipping and spinning as he did so. When his feet touched down, Krieg was lifted into the air. "Hammer!"

They wood splintered where Krieg landed and he coughed up blood. The wanted pirate pulled himself up and glared at the younger man. He pointed his right hand at the teen and unleashed his flamethrower, but Luffy only shifted out of the way. The teen's right arm shot out along the edge of the fire, blistering but not slowed.

"Pistol." The fist hit Krieg in the face. The older pirate was thrown to the edge of the wreckage, but Luffy wasn't done. He reached over, grabbing the man's spear, and chucked it as the armored pirate was just getting up, not giving Krieg any chance to dodge. There was an explosion where the spear hit him, just as the Battle Spear was designed to do. Krieg was flung out over the sea and splashed down.

"Ha!" Krieg laughed when he surfaced. "Now you can't attack me! Those with the powers of the devil can't swim!"

"How heavy is that armor?" Luffy questioned.

"What are you blabbering about now?!" Krieg yelled back.

"How heavy is your armor?" Luffy asked again. "You're pretty far out there and that armor must be heavy. How long can you tread water before you drown?"

"We could be here all day!" the other pirate shouted.

"Then how about this?" Luffy's arm reached over to the Baratié's fins and grabbed Gin's discarded tonfa. The weapon ripped through the wood as the rubber-man's arm snapped back. He threw his arm behind him before shooting it forward. "Gum-Gum LOADED PISTOL!" The weight on the end of the tonfa slammed into Krieg's face, breaking his nose, giving him a concussion, and leaving him unconscious in the middle of the ocean in heavy Wootz-Steel armor.

The cooks threw up a cheer. Their restaurant was saved and Krieg was powerless. Without him treading, the pirate Admiral's armor started to slowly drag him down into the watery depths. His opponent defeated, Luffy's worry about his youngest crewmember's wellbeing came back to the forefront of his mind.

"Coby!" Luffy dropped Gin's weapon and dashed to the doors of the Baratié, but he was stopped by Sanji and Zeff. "Let me through! I have to get to Coby!"

"He's fine," Zeff told him. "The runt's sleeping off the poison still in his system. We were lucky enough to get most of it out by using a gas mask to clear the air in his lungs, but he won't be able to move for at least 12 hours." Luffy calmed down. "On the bright side, he'll have a slight immunity to some poisons and toxins from the amount of damage the HM5 gas did."

"You really care for your crew, don't you?" Sanji asked, handing the pirate his hat.

"Of course," Luffy answered as he placed his treasure back on his head. "They're my nakama, my family. I'd never turn my back on them."

"I... I've made a decision," Sanji said. "I've decided to join you as your cook."

"Wonderful!" Luffy cheered as Zeff mumbled something like "It's about damn time". "What's your dream?"

"What?"

"Your dream. Everyone on my crew has to have a dream to chase. Mine is to be the Pirate King. Zoro's is to be the world's greatest swordsman. That sort of thing."

"Well... My dream is to find the All Blue, a place where fish from all four Blues swim together. It's only a legend, a rumor, but I'm going to find it."

"Welcome to the crew, Sanji. How's Gin?"

"He regained consciousness during your fight with Krieg," Zeff answered. "He's sitting inside rethinking his life choices."

"I want to talk to him."

"Why?" Sanji asked.

"I want him on my crew. He's a good guy."

Sanji smirked. "I can't disagree with you there." Luffy passed them by and entered the establishment. At the only table standing was Gin in a chair, his head in his hands. He made no motion as Luffy approached, but he did speak.

"Leave me alone," the Man-Demon moaned. "I have no purpose anymore."

"Then let me give you one."

Gin's head snapped up. "What?!"

"You heard me," Luffy stated, crossing his arms. "Join my crew." Gin floundered for several seconds.

"You... You want me on your crew? But I disobeyed my captain. I talked back to him."

"I don't have underlings. I have friends. We're all equal on my crew. You can refuse to follow anything but a specific captain's order and I will never order you to kill someone. Especially someone as nice as the old man."

"Do I know anyone? Are there any rules?"

"Sanji joined as our cook, but I'd have one condition."

"And what would that be?" Gin asked, the excitement that had appeared in his eyes slowly turning into fear.

"You'd have to find a dream to follow. A big one. Something you'd risk your life for."

Gin blinked in surprise. "I... I was only there for a short time, and that week was terrifying, but I want to sail on the Grand Line again. I can't explain it, but I want to. Not just for me, but also for all the friends I lost there. May I follow you, Don Luffy?"

Luffy smiled. "Welcome to the crew of the Straw Hat Pirates, Gin."

 **End of Chapter 12**

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 **Did anyone call that last bit? You know, the whole Krieg drowning and Gin joining stuff? No one Reviewed or PMed me with that guess, but yeah, Luffy actually killed him. Not with his own hands, but still;**

 **Luffy's kills: 1.**

 **Also, if you couldn't guess from the summary and the end of this chapter, there will be a bigger crew this time around. There will be five more members (including Coby and Gin) and a pet. All of them _are_ mentioned in Canon at least. Bonus points go to anyone who can guess them before they join!**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	13. After Nami!

**I hate my life so much right now: 2 hour Calculus final at 8am? No thank you, but I had to anyway. Ugh. I still have Physics to go, but I'm not too worried about that one. On a more positive note, no one has been able to guess the other members, but I will say that I haven't even gotten to where they meet their pet; said pet is even after Thriller Bark. I probably just made that too easy, but oh well.**

 **I'll admit, this is kind of a filler. Important filler, but still mostly filler.**

 **Note: many of Gin's characteristics are based off of his character in** **Bluejay Blaze** **'s** ** _One Piece, Two Piece, Red Piece, Blue Piece_** **.**

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 **Chapter 13:**

 **After Nami!**

The surviving Krieg pirates were piled onto the Baratié's errand boat and sent off to sea. Gin had been able to say his goodbyes to them and they to him, each wishing luck on their paths. Yosaku had returned in the mouth of a pan shark (how was still a mystery) and had informed Luffy that he thought they'd figured out where Nami was going. Luffy, a still-pale Coby, Sanji, Gin, and Yosaku prepared depart as soon as they could on Sanji's personal ship, a small boat painted with green stripes.

Bad news: the place they were going was probably really dangerous and controlled by a bloodthirsty fishman.

Good news: Coby was still recovering, so Sanji had time to pack and say his goodbyes.

Their departure was heartfelt for Sanji who cried as he thanked Zeff, but they were able to leave with no problems. Their destination was Cocoyashi Village. Their enemy: Arlong the Fishman.

On the way, Yosaku and Coby ended up talking about the powers that ruled the Grand Line, mainly the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Sanji listened silently, but Luffy didn't pay any attention except wanting to meet all the Warlords. After their conversation, Sanji cooked a meal of meat and bean sprouts.

Unfortunately, the delicious scent attracted a giant sea-cow. Not a manatee, but a literal sea-cow, a monstrous sea creature with white skin covered in large splotches of green and a golden nose piercing. Luffy had attacked it for wanting their food and Sanji had knocked it out for trying to bite his hand, then they returned to their meal. Afterwards, the quintet tied a rope out the beast and had it drag them to their destination.

When they were nearing the island, the beast began to veer off coarse, slamming into the island with a dizzy expresstion. The boat was flung forward like it had been shot out of a slingshot. They flew over the island before slowing falling to the ground and skidding the rest of the way into a cliff. The also just so happened to hit Zoro as he was running along a path.

"We're here!" Luffy called, popping out of the ruined ship.

"What the Hell?" the swordsman shouted, pushing rubble off of himself. "What the actual Hell, Luffy? Oh god. Luffy, Arlong has Usopp. We need to save him. Now, before he gets killed."

"It's too late!" Johnny lamented, walking onto the scene after finding his way via the sound. "Big Sis Nami murdered Big Bro Usopp!"

"WHAT?" everyone shouted.

"No way!" Luffy yelled.

"Nami, why?!" Coby wailed

"It's true," Johnny cried. "She's a traitor! And she's a member of Arlong's crew-"

"Shut up!" Luffy ordered. "Nami would never to that."

"I would never do what?" Nami approached, a look of contempt on her face. She had changed her top, now wearing a light green shirt with dark green spots. Her left hand was covered in a glove and she had her bo out. She had no sleeves on revealing the tattoo on her left bicep: Arlong's mark.

"Naaaamiiiii-swaaaan!" Sanji called with hearts in his eyes, his broken ship forgotten. "Do you remember me?"

"You bitch!" Johnny yelled at her. "You killed him!" Luffy held back both Johnny and Yosaku who were trying to rush the girl with their swords.

"Where's Usopp?" Zoro demanded, prepping his single blade. Next to him, Coby lifted his bokken with tears in his eyes.

"Sleeping with the fishes," Nami answered without a shred of emotion.

"Why you!" Zoro and his student ran at her, but the former was blocked by Sanji, claiming that a man should never hit a woman under any circumstances. The latter was able to duck around and attack, but the female blocked with her bo. She flinched when the force of the blow hit her gloved hand and pulled away quickly, kicking Coby in the side. The boy stumbled.

"Arlong is looking for Zoro and 'his crew'," Nami told them, trying to hide the pain from her hand, "so I'd suggest you leave now while you have the chance." She turned and left.

"Dammit," Zoro growled, sitting under a tree. "What do we do now?"

"I will accept no one but Nami as our navigator," Luffy stated, 'so I'm staying."

"Are you crazy, Big Bro Luffy?" Yosaku questioned.

"She killed Big Bro Usopp!" Johnny added.

"I don't believe it." Luffy shook his head. "Nami's our friend. She'd never do something like that."

"Well I, for one, am leaving," Yosaku stated. "Johnny, Big Bro Zoro, let's go."

"I'm staying," Zoro told him. "I'm not the captain, I don't decide the crewmembers. If Luffy wants Nami as the navigator, then we'll convince her to join one way or another."

"Fine. Good luck, guys." The bounty hunters walked away, leaving the crew in the road. With some momentary peace and quiet, Zoro was able to collect his thoughts and look at the people around him.

"Wait. You're that guy from Krieg's crew, aren't you?"

"I am," Gin answered. "Krieg fired me for disobedience when I refused to kill Red Foot Zeff. Don Luffy saved my life and offered me a place on his crew. I am known as Man-Demon Gin and have a bounty of 2,400,000 Beris. I fight with dual weighted tonfa and am good at making tattoos. It's nice to meet you, Pirate Hunter Roranoa Zoro."

"I know of you, Gin, and you obviously know me. Good. Hey, Shrimp. Why are you so pale?"

"He was poisoned by Krieg," Luffy said before Coby could answer, some of his dislike for the dead pirate brought up by the mention of his action, "so I kicked his ass."

"And I see you got the perverted cook to join us," Zoro observed.

"You wanna say that again, Moss-Head?"

"I'll say it as many times as I want to, Blondie!"

"Come at me, you third-rate swordsman!"

"Sure thing, swirly-eyed bastard!" The two would have started fighting if Gin had not grabbed Sanji from behind and Coby tried to hold his mentor back. All attention was diverted from the growing aggression, however, when a figure in a cloak ran through, stopped, slowly turned around, yelled in surprise, and revealed himself to be Usopp. The previously-thought-dead sniper proceeded to explain that Nami had saved him by stabbing her own hand and pushing him into the water, using the blood to cover up his lack of a stab wound.

"See?" Luffy smiled. "I told you Nami was good and that she wouldn't kill Usopp."

"Well, yeah," Zoro admitted, "but she's still a member of Arlong's crew. If we're going to help her, we're going to need to know what's going on and why she's working for him."

"I think I can help with that," Usopp said. "Or, I know someone who can. Follow me." The long-nosed teen led them into Cocoyashi Village before directing them to an out-of-the-way house with a tangerine orchard. He explained that he'd met this person when they'd saved him from capture when he first got to the island. Inside was a woman with short, light blue hair and several tattoos around her right arm and collarbone. She was dressed in a blue crop top that matched her hair and a pair of jeans. She also had dark blue eyes and a red bandana.

Sanji instantly swooned over her.

"Oh my darling! Your beauty knows no bounds! Not even a hoard of fishman could keep me from helping a woman such as yourself!"

"Uh, thanks?" she answered.

"Nojiko, this is my crew-"

"My crew, not yours."

"This is Luffy," Usopp continued, ignoring his captain, "Zoro, Coby, Sanji, and... Gin, right? Guys, this is Nojiko, Nami's sister."

"Nojiko, a beautiful name fitting of such an attractive woman!"

"Oi! Pervy cook! Shut up!"

"You wanna make me, Marimo?"

"Not now," Gin sighed, hitting the swordsman and chef on the head with one of his tonfa each.

"Zoro-sensei!" Coby fretted as Luffy laughed at two the men nursing their head wounds.

"Well you sure are a lively bunch," Nojiko giggled, causing Sanji to swoon again and turn noodle-y. "I can see why Nami enjoyed her time with you."

"Can you tell us why Nami left?" Coby asked.

"Well... It all started when we were younger. Eight years ago to be exact-" Nojiko began, but Luffy stopped her.

"I don't what to hear this from someone who isn't Nami," he stated. "Pasts are a personal thing. I'm going to go for a walk." He left.

While confused by the younger man's action, Nojiko talked about their adoptive mother Belimere, Nami's dream to draw a map of the world, the arrival of Arlong, Belimere's death, and Nami's deal with the fishmen to buy back her village. By the end of the story Coby, Usopp, and Sanji were crying with the latter rambling about how Nami was just as brave as she was beautiful. Zoro and Gin were silent, the former because that's just who he was and the latter because he'd seen and heard worse. There was a commotion outside that drew their attention

"Stay here," Nojiko ordered. She went outside, but the five in the building could still hear her voice. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Chichichi," another rat-like voice laughed. "I am Marine Colonel Nazumi of Marine Branch 16." Coby tensed. More corrupt marines here to crush his old dream further into the dust? That'd make three (if one counted Fullbody) in the two weeks he'd been a pirate. "Am I correct in assuming this is the home of the pirate thief Nami?"

"She grew up here, but this is no longer her home. I'm her sister, Nojiko. Can I help you?"

"I think you can. You see, we've received word that she has a large stash of stolen treasure somewhere here on this property. Since she's only stolen from pirates, no charges will be pressed, but stolen is stolen, no matter who from. From this point forward, all that money will be the sole property of the World Government. Could you lead us to it?"

"So this is what the Marines have fallen to?" Coby whispered angrily. "Stealing from petty thieves instead of arresting pirates holding an entire island hostage?"

Nojiko was more composed outside. "I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't spoken to my sister in nearly eight years."

"Fine," Nazumi grunted. "If you can't lead us to it, we'll just have to find it ourselves. Men, search the orchard!"

"No!" Nojiko screamed. Inside, it was taking everything the crew had to keep Sanji from steeping out and blowing their cover to beat the Hell out of this man for upsetting the woman. Coby was holding himself back from attacking the marine, though just barely. "Don't touch Belimere's tangerines!"

"If you won't comply, girl, then I'll have to shoot you for disrupting an investigation."

"And I'd have to shoot you for disrupting my livelihood without due cause, you rat! Hey! Don't pull up the trees!" There was a scuffle. "Let me go!"

"Come on men!" Nazumi yelled. "How hard can it be to find 100 million Beris?"

Nojiko's voice audibly tensed. "How did you know that number?" she hissed.

"What? Oh, let's just say I had a hunch. Chichichi." That laugh was just too much for Coby to hold back anymore. He ran out of the house and drew his bokken. Nazumi was a seedy-looking man with a whisker-like mustache and a small goatee, the hairs swishing as the man's lower face twitched like a rodent. His marine uniform had an added hood pulled up to show the extra mouse ears on top. With the group was another man who was dressed in an old maroon army uniform. He had scars crisscrossing over his face and arms and a black mustache on his shocked face. A pinwheel spun in the wind from its spot on his hat. He was pinned to the ground by three nameless marines so he couldn't help. Off to the side, Nojiko was held down by another two.

"You corrupt bastard!" the pink-haired boy yelled angrily, pointing his right bokken at the rat. "You're working with Arlong, aren't you?"

"Where did you come from, little boy?" Coby didn't answer. Instead he rushed the officer who drew a gun.

"No! Coby!" Nojiko's yell came too late to stop the enraged pre-teen.

Nazumi fired.

 **End of Chapter 13**

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 **Does this count as a cliffhanger? I feel like this counts as a cliffhanger I don't usually do those, but when the situation calls for it, I must! MUHAHAHA!**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	14. Nami's Despair

**The last chapter was a major success and I got several _good_ reviews about the cliffhanger. I'm not sorry. I'm going to be honest here, this chapter just builds up to the fighting and glosses over things. If you haven't already noticed, I only write the parts that changed because of Coby's involvement or are necessary, and that branches out to include any new members that join like Gin did. This means that as the crew expands, so will the action described. OK?**

* * *

 **Chapter 14:**

 **Nami's Despair**

 _"Oh, let's just say I had a hunch. Chichichi." That laugh was just too much for Coby to hold back anymore. He ran out of the house and drew his bokken. There was a group of men outside with Nojiko. Their leader was a seedy-looking man with a whisker-like mustache and a small goatee._

 _His Marine uniform had an added hood pulled up to show the extra mouse ears on top. With the group was another man who was dressed in an old maroon army uniform. He had scars crisscrossing over his face and arms and a black mustache on his shocked face. A pinwheel spun in the wind from its spot on his hat. Off to the side, Nojiko was held down by two nameless marines._

 _"You corrupt bastard!" The pink-haired boy yelled. "You're working with Arlong, aren't you?"_

 _"Where did you come from, little boy?" Coby didn't answer. Instead he rushed the officer who drew a gun._

 _"No! Coby!" Nojiko's yell came too late to stop the enraged pre-teen. Nazumi fired._ Coby staggered backwards as the bullet sank into his shoulder with a splash of blood, both the preteen and his blood falling to the ground. The boy grit his teeth so his cry of pain wouldn't reach the marine's ears. His teacher wouldn't cry out, why should he? Coby tried to pull himself up, his wounded shoulder screaming in protest and the blood loss making him dizzy.

"Sir!" one of Nazumi's men shouted, redirecting the man's attention from the shot boy to the marine. "I found it!" The two holding Nojiko and the three holding the other man released them, running over to see their prize.

"Damn corrupt marines," Nojiko bit out, falling beside Coby with the older man on his other side. She could do nothing as the government dogs stole all of her sister's hard-earned treasure.

"We need to get this boy to a doctor," Pinwheel Guy said. He picked up Coby and shot the marines a dirty look.

"Take him into town," Nojiko told the man. "Some of his friends are inside. I'll get them." Pinwheel Guy headed toward the village with Coby in his arms while the woman went into her home. "Coby's been shot. Follow me." The four men complied. They wanted to beat the frick-frack out of all of the government personnel in the tangerine grove, but they wanted to be there for Coby more. The marines didn't see them leave; they were too focused on the money.

* * *

"Doctor! Help!" Genzo ran into the village as fast as he could while carrying the wounded boy. His shouting attracted a large crowd that met him in the center of town. On the outskirts, just within hearing range was Nami behind a building and Luffy under a tree on the other side.

"Genzo?" the town doctor asked. "What's wrong? What happened to this kid?" Luffy shot up at the sight of pink hair.

"Those damn marines shot him after stealing Nami's money." Genzo answered.

"Coby!" Luffy yelled, pushing his way to the boy. "What happened?"

"Captain Luffy," Coby muttered, the blood loss turning him slightly delirious. "I need to stop getting into these situations. It'll turn into a bad habit."

"Shut up," Luffy told him firmly. "What happened? Who shot you?"

"They... They took it all. They were working with Arlong. The... The Marines. Arlong... He never meant to keep his side of the bargain." The boy passed out, the combined effects of recovering from poison and the blood loss from the bullet wound being too much for his young body.

The young pirate captain didn't know what bargain his friend was talking about, but it wasn't long before the rest of his crew came running in following Nami's older sister. They, in broken and overlapping explanations, explained that Nami had agreed to buy back her village for 100 million Beris, but that Arlong had hired a corrupt marine to steal it all when she was close.

Nami couldn't take it. All that hard work, stolen? It just couldn't be true. She ran off to confront Arlong.

"What will we do, Don Luffy?" Gin asked in his normal, calm manner.

"Nothing," Luffy answered, his eyes shadowed by his hat.

"But Luffy-" Usopp tried to argue.

"We won't do anything," Luffy cut him off. "Not until Nami asks for help. Until then, we wait. It's not our business... yet," he added.

"But the Marines-" Usopp began.

"Will get what's coming to them," Luffy finished, "but they were hired by this Arlong and he's Nami's problem. When she wants help, we'll give it to her."

And so they waited. Coby was carried into the doctor's office and patched up. He woke up an hour later, but he was in no condition to move. The townspeople weren't as calm. They were arming themselves with anything they could find to attack Arlong Park, ready to march to their deaths as storm clouds rolled in from the east. They were all in the center of town, about to leave, when Nami returned, hysterical.

"Stop!" Nami yelled, pulling out a knife. "Please, stop! Don't do this! I... I can get the money again! It's no problem. I have experience, now."

"No, Nami," Genzo told her gently, taking her knife by the blade and dropping it on the ground. He ignored the blood seeping from his fingers. "This is it. We've been cheering for you for these last eight years, but now we know that Arlong won't let you reach your goal."

"But if you fight, the fishmen will kill you!"

"We know," Genzo muttered quietly, much to Nami's horror. "With us gone, you'll be free to follow your dream. Forget about us. We know we're going to lose, but you know what? We'll GIVE 'EM HELL!"

"YEAH!" the village cheered. They hurried out despite Nami's weakening protests as it began to rain, the water coming down and washing over the girl. When they were gone, Nami stood there for a second longer before falling to her knees, the dirt turning to mud around her. She clutched the tattoo on her bicep, tears falling from her eyes and mixing with the rain. The glint of the knife caught her eye and rage filled her.

"Arlong," she whispered in a mixture of anger, desperation, despair, and hate. "Arlong." She lifted the small blade and plunged it into her arm, straight through the tattoo. Wincing, she pulled the knife out, hoping that the rain and the blood and the pain would wash away her torment before she plunged it back in over and over, crying all the while. "Arlong. Arlong. Arlong! Arlong! ARLONG!" She primed the knife to stab her arm once more, but someone grabbed her wrist. She tilted her head just enough to see who it was, tears streaming from her bloodshot eyes.

"Luffy? What... What are you doing here? Why are you here?! WHY?! I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE! Leave. Leave..." Her voice had gone from confusion to rage to utter despair. "Luffy," she finally pleaded. "Help me."

The teen smiled and removed his hat before placing it on her head. "With pleasure." He snapped his fingers and the other men walked out of the doctor's office. Coby was still inside since he was injured, but they'd all agreed that he'd done enough in the fight with Krieg. "Usopp, you know the way. Take us to Arlong Park."

"Aye, Captain."

* * *

Johnny and Yosaku, beaten and bloody, were sitting in front of Arlong Park when the villagers arrived. The sound of the laughter of the Arlong Pirates flowed from inside the gate. The bounty hunters' clothes were ragged and Johnny's sunglasses had lost their glass. They did not move as the men and women of Cocoyashi approached.

"Move out of the way!" Genzo ordered them. "We have business with Arlong!"

"If you go in there, you'll die," Johnny told them.

"We know that, but we would rather die that live under them any longer."

"Wouldn't you rather live free?" Yosaku questioned.

"Well, of course," Genzo faltered.

"Then just wait for a few more minutes," Johnny finished. "There's going to be a certain group of men that will come and they will free this island from Arlong's control."

"Who? The Marines?"

"Far from it. Here they come." The armed villagers turned to see five men through the haze of the noonday heat, all of their eyes shaded.

The man on the far left was dressed in gray with red designs and a blue and gray headband. He seemed to be around his mid-twenties. His skin was a golden tan and his hair was as black as the darkest night. In his hands were two moving forms of iron. A wind from his moving weapons made his clothes ripple. His aura was like that of a demon from Hell.

The next man was no less terrifying even if he seemed younger. His clothes included dark trousers and a green sash around his waist. Around his torso were bloodied bandages that did nothing to detract from his fear factor and were partially hidden by a dusty, white shirt. His skin was not as dark as the first man's and his dark green bandana hid his hair color. One sword in a white sheath easily rested at his side. If the first man had looked like a demon, this man looked like the demon's hunter.

The man on the far right was the least threatening. Probably a teen, his skin was tan, but his form was thinner than all the others. Black, curly hair spilled out of a light green bandana and unassuming brown coveralls covered his torso and legs. A large, brown, circular satchel rested at his hip and a small green slingshot sat in his left hand. His long nose cast a shadow over his face and goggles covered his eyes.

The fourth man, the second from the right, was the best dressed of the five. He seemed to be the same age as the swordsman, and a black suit, blue shirt, and black tie made up his wardrobe. His walk was relaxed with his hands inside his pockets, a lit cigarette trailing smoke from his mouth. Blond hair covered the right half of his face. As they got closer, it was revealed that his visible eyebrow was a swirl. He blew smoke in small puffs without a care.

The last figure, though probably the youngest, was in the lead. He was clad in an open, sleeveless red vest to show his muscular torso and jean shorts covered his waist to his knees. Sandals followed the pull of his feet, showing calluses that spoke of many miles traveled. His bare arms were lean, small but strong. A scar under his right eye stood out on his face, just under the shadow caused by his wild raven hair.

The villagers parted for these men as they approached, staring at this group with fear and awe at the pressre they seemed to emit. The man in red moved to the gate while his companions formed a semicircle around him. The teen then did something that shocked everyone watching.

He punched the gate, leaving a fist-sized dent in the metal. All sound from within the stronghold stopped, one voice calling out to ask the others what that noise had been. The man punched the wall again, leaving another dent. He punched it a third time, destroying the gate and flooding the surrounding air with dust that dropped visibility to zero. The dust cleared to show the fishmen, all of whom were standing with the exception one, surprised expressions on their faces.

"Which of you is Arlong?" the kid demanded, stepping through the now-ruined entrance.

"That would be me," replied the light blue fishman sitting in the chair. He had a nose like a sawtooth shark and teeth to match. A dorsal fin stuck out of his long, curly, black hair. A red sun tattoo was half hidden by his Hawaiian shirt and the mark of his crew was branded in his left forearm. Green shorts and sandals completed his ensemble. "May I ask who you are?"

"I'm Luffy. And I'm here to kick your fishy, blue ass."

 **End of Chapter 14**

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 **And that's a wrap! What did you all think? I couldn't resist trying to recreate the badass "here are the heroes" scene that the anime used. Also, i know a whole lot of nothing happened in this chapter, but it was important nothing! The next two (count 'em, 2!) chapters will be the fights with Arlong and his crew before the Straw Hats take off for Louge Town.**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	15. Fighting the Fishmen

**Finnally here, the moment you've all been waiting for!**

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 **Chapter 15:**

 **Fighting the Fishmen**

 _"Which of you is Arlong?"_

 _"That would be me. May I ask who you are?"_

 _"I'm Luffy. And I'm here to kick your fishy, blue ass."_

"Shahahahaha!" Arlong laughed, his crew joining in. "This pathetic human thinks he can take me on? Shahahahaha!" Arlong and his crew where too busy laughing at Luffy's (through their eyes) stupidity that they didn't see him approach Arlong's chair. Luffy cocked his fist back and punched Arlong in the face as hard as he could.

The fishman went flying, shocking everyone of both species. He smashed into the wall at the other end of Arlong Park, breaking it.

"What?!" Hatchan the octopus fishman yelled. "Nyuu~ No human should be able to do that!" Hatchan had pink skin and six arms. Instead of hair, five spikes grew out on his head and his mouth stuck out from his face. On his forehead was a sun tattoo similar to Arlong's. He also wore a red shirt with three arm holes on each side and yellow shorts.

"You," Kuroobi growled. "What are you?" Kuroobi was a large, muscular fishman whose skin was a darker blue than his captain's and had long black hair in a stupid hairstyle with some hair sticking up in two small, forward-pointing, pointed buns. The majority of his hair was pulled back into a ponytail that fell down to his knees and his sun tattoo was nearly completely hidden from sight on one pictorial. He was clothed in a a navy-blue gi held together by a black belt. Two fins grew from his elbows and looked like they would hurt.

"Me?" Luffy questioned. "I'm a pirate."

"You bastard!" yelled Arlong's unnamed underlings. They ran at Luffy, but two new fighters rushed in and beat them back, scattering their unconscious forms around the area.

"Damn it, Luffy," the blond muttered. "Don't rush ahead. Save some for the rest of us."

"He's right, Don," the other man commented, his now stopped weapons revealed to be tonfa with large iron balls on the ends. "It would be disappointing to have come all this way for nothing." The other two men came up to join them in the center of Arlong Park.

"Huh," Chew grunted. "Looks like we'll have to fight after all... chew." Chew had light blue skin and light brown hair that framed his face. His mouth was elongated much like Hatchan's, but was thinner than his crewmate's, and he was dressed in a darker blue shirt and brown shorts. He had an Arlong tattoo on his right arm and what looked like blush on his cheeks.

"Don't worry," Hatchan said. He cupped his mouth and blew a noise like a trumpet for 15 seconds. "Moh-Moo! Come here, Moh-Moo!" There was silence for a second before a lump in the water started getting bigger until it reached land and broke the surface.

It was the sea-cow. Moh-Moo's gaze swept over the battlefield until it fell on Luffy, Sanji, and Gin. Memories of their last meeting flashed through his head before coming to the conclusion that dealing with them was not worth it. With tears from the memories of the pain caused by those monsters, the sea beast turned and started swimming away.

"Wait, Moh-Moo!" Hatchan called, but the sea-cow did not stop.

"It's fine, Moh-Moo," Arlong said with an underlying threat, causing the large creature to freeze. "You can leave if you want." His fear of the humans being less than his fear of Arlong, Moh-Moo turned back and attacked. He was thrown from the island by the combined force of Luffy, Sanji, and Gin.

"Alright," Luffy stated, cracking his knuckles as the creature's moo of pain faded into the distance. "There's four of them and five of us. Who wants who?"

"I'll take the octopus," Zoro smirked. "I need to thank him for helping with my escape."

"The big one's mine," Sanji answered, dumping ashes from his cigarette. "I'll turn him into sushi. A lot of sushi."

"I guess that leaves me with the ugly one," Gin commented. "Unless you want to fight him, Usopp?"

"Nope!" the sniper responded a little too quickly. "He's all yours!"

"Stay back, Captain," Kuroobi grunted, falling into a fighting stance. "We'll take care of these pests."

Gin seemed to have a similar idea. "Don Luffy, please stand back. You'll need all your energy to fight Arlong. Let us handle his underlings. Usopp, could you please provide cover fire?"

"Uh, yeah," the long-nosed teen answered. "No problem."

The battle had begun.

 **Zoro versus Hatchan**

"You!" Hatchan shouted, pointing at Zoro with three of his arms. "Nyuu~ You tricked me! You'll pay for that!" He cupped his mouth. "Hachi Ink Jet!" A stream of black ink shot from the octopus fishman's mouth, arching through the air to hit Zoro. The swordsman was too quick, however, and was able to sidestep the attack. The ink continued on its path, dousing the villagers of Cocoyashi Village in black.

"Is that the best you can do?" Zoro questioned, running forward as fast as his injured body would allow. His opponent fired several more ink shots, but Zoro was able to easily avoid them. The human reached his foe and slashed at his face. In response, Hatchan ducked under the strike. Unfortunately for him, he didn't duck fast enough to save all of him.

"My hair!" Hatchan yelled, feeling his spikes were Zoro's lone blade had cut through the top three of his five spikes at a diagonal angle. "Nyuu~ You'll pay for that! Wait here."

"I'm not just gonna wait here," Zoro replied. He swiped at the fishman, but Kuroobi unintentionally got in the way, having been kicked by Sanji. Zoro's sword bounced off of his arm fins as he went flying by with the cook following close behind. "You got in my way, Cook!" Zoro shouted at the blond.

"I don't have time to deal with you, Moss-Head!" Sanji shouted back as his own foe stood back up. "We'll settle it later!" Sanji ran off as Hatchan emerged from his room on the second floor of Arlong Park.

"Haha!" Hatchan laughed from the second-floor balcony, one sword in each of his six hands. "Now you face my Six Sword Style!" He jumped down with his swords pointed forward so all the tips touched, he body spinning with the intent of shredding the Pirate Hunter upon impact. Zoro stepped out of the way, leaving the fishman to crash into the concrete.

"Ow," Hatchan whined, his face supporting the rest of his body. "Nyuu~ That was a dirty trick."

"I just moved out of the way."

"Damn you!" Hatchan jumped up and seemed to flail his arms at Zoro.

"Streaming Wolf Swords." The swordsman appeared to turn into paper, barely dodging each sword as it came by. At one point, Sanji flew by, but Zoro was too focused on dodging to notice. He finished by backhanding the octopus. As Hatchan stumbled back, Zoro called out to the ragged men on the sidelines. "Johnny! Yosaku! I need your swords!"

"Sure thing, Big Bro!" Johnny yelled back. The bounty hunters threw their swords toward the swordsman who managed to jump into the air and catch the weapons. His own sword now firmly in his mouth, Zoro came down on Hatchan like a hunter out for blood.

The fishman was on the defensive, all six of his swords being needed to fend off his opponent's three. He didn't know how it was possible. This man was only a human, a wounded human if the bloody bandages were anything to go by, so how was it that he was not only keeping up with him, but beating him with half as many swords? Hatchan leapt back to put space between them and prepared an attack to rip his human foe apart.

"Nyuu~ I'm done with you!" The pink fishman yelled as he touched all of his swords' tips together in front of him. "Octopus Pot Stance: New Year's Explosions!" Hatchan rushed forward, but his swords were all stopped when Zoro met their points with his own overlapping weapons. Hatchan did not seem daunted, however, as he just pulled his swords apart, throwing Zoro off balance. Taking his advantage, the octopus-man shot forward so his forehead hit his foe in the chest, right over his wound.

Zoro let out a pained yell as the force partially reopened his injury from his fight with Mihawk. He stumbled back, one fist press against his chest to try to numb the pain. Through his cloudy eyes, he was just able to see his opponent coming in for an unannounced attack, but he had enough time to counter.

"Dragon Whirlwind!" Zoro spun, his swords kicking up a dust cloud from the displaced air. The force of the wind was strong enough the lift Hatchan and all of his swords. The fishman went up and came back down, hitting the ground for the second time that fight.

"Nyuu~ You got lucky!" the six-armed octopus man declared, jumping up from what must have been a painful landing. "I'll get you this time! Forward Six Sword Waltz!" He started spinning his blades like a fan and began walking toward the human with slow, steady steps. The green-haired man lunged forward.

"Demon Slash!" Zoro ended in a crouch behind his shocked adversary, said adversary's weapons falling apart in his hands. Hatchan was still, a look of disbelief on his face as his 300 lbs. swords fell to pieces. A second later, three slashes open on his chest, blood falling from the relatively shallow but long wounds. Hatchan passed out, the shock combined with the sudden blood loss forcing his consciousness to shut down. Zoro sheathed Wado Ichimonji as the large fishman collapsed. Zoro followed soon after, not unconscious but weak from blood loss.

 **Zoro versus Hatchan**

 **Winner: Roranoa Zoro**

* * *

 **Sanji versus Kuroobi**

"You have no chance of winning," Kuroobi sneered at his cigarette-smoking opponent, falling into a fighting stance as he did so. His right arm was extended and his right legs was placed forward. "I am a 40th Dan in fishman karate. You are outmatched."

"Your voice is getting on my nerves," Sanji replied in a nonchalant manner. "I've got a lot of food I need to make for our celebration tonight, so if we could move this along, that would be great."

"You overestimate yourself!" Kuroobi shouted, shooting forward. The chef's leg snapped up, slamming into his opponent's face with his steel-toed shoe before the fishman could react and sending him flying.

"No," Sanji stated. "You underestimate me."

While in the air, Kuroobi did not hear his opponent. He did feel something glance off of one of his fins, but the small sensation was dwarfed by the pain the cook's kick had caused, cracking his nose in the process. Kuroobi smashed into the wall as two of the invading crew yelled at each other.

"You got in my way, Cook!" Zoro shouted at the blond.

"I don't have time to deal with you, Moss-Head!" Sanji shouted back as his own foe stood back up. "We'll settle it later!" Sanji ran forward, roundhouse kicking Kuroobi in the side of the head before he could really get up.

Yeah, it was a dirty tactic, but it was a fight between pirates. Pirates played dirty.

Kuroobi managed to snap himself out of the shock of how strong his foe was while in the air from the second kick. He flipped around, landing on his feet and skidding a few feet to slow himself. He ran back in and ducked under Sanji's next attack. The cook jumped and used his momentum to spin into a hook kick with his other leg, but Kuroobi was ready.

The fishman caught his leg and lifted the chef over his head. He threw the human into the concrete at his feet, the damage causing him to cough up blood. Giving him no time to collect himself, the black-belt picked Sanji up and threw him across Arlong Park by hitting him with one of his fins. The human reached the far wall and smashed through it, leaving a hole.

"Well that's done," Kuroobi growled. He glanced over to his crewmates' fights. Hatchan was attacking Roranoa and Chew was shooting water from the sea at the scruffy man with the tonfa and the long-nosed kid, both of whom were worse-for-wear. He moved to join Chew in his two-on-one battle, but an attack from the battle of the swordsmen knocked Hachi back. He saw Hachi fall and thought it would be best to help the octopus-man first. He never got to. On his way to their fight, a voice shouted something like nonsense before Kuroobi was attacked.

"Exploding Star!" A fiery explosion absorbed the top half of his body, lightly burning his gi, but otherwise doing no harm. Kuroobi's eyes scanned the area, looking for the fool that dared to attack him. Finally, his gaze landed on the teen with the slingshot.

"You're going to pay for that, Long-Nose." Kuroobi rushed the long-range fighter who paled and took off toward the crowd of villagers. The fishman followed. He stopped to glance at the armed mob at the gates, but when another, weaker explosion hit him, his focus was transferred back to the long-nosed pest. He ran after the sniper, nearing the body of the blond he'd fought earlier, not noticing that he now had a new cigarette in his mouth.

Sanji's hand shot out as he passed, grabbing his ankle. Kuroobi tripped from the unexpected obstacle, faceplanting into the dirt road. The chef got in front of him and kicked him back into the compound with a cry of "Veau Shot!". It was over with the next barrage of attacks.

"Collar!" Sanji's right foot smashed into the spot between Kuroobi's neck and shoulder. "Flank!" A kick to the side rolled him onto his front. "Lower Back!" The cook's heel dug into the fishman's spine, forcing his head up. "Chin!" A rising kick picked the large pirate into the air. "Ribs!" The ray-fishman was launched into the building, smashing through several rooms on the ground floor. He came out the back wall, his limp form draped over the wreckage that had been part of the last wall.

Sanji lit another cigarette, his third of the battle, as blood flowed freely from a wound on his head. He blew smoke. "Now it's done. He won't be coming back." He puffed his cancer stick. "They're all just seafood anyway. A fish couldn't fight a cook. I don't know what he was thinking."

 **Sanji versus Kuroobi.**

 **Winner: Sanji**

* * *

 **Gin versus Chew**

"It was you that called me 'the ugly one', wasn't it? ... Chew." Chew growled, dropping into his starting position. "I'll make you regret that... chew."

"That verbal tick of yours is really annoying," Gin shot back, shooting forward with tonfa spinning. He brought his right weapon down and Chew blocked with both forearms. In response, Gin brought his weapon's twin around, smashing into the fishman's ribs. The non-human grunted in pain, but was otherwise unaffected.

"You're tough," Gin admitted. "I'll give you that much." Chew smirked, but before he could respond, a lead ball nailed him in the forehead, disorienting the fishman. Gin's tonfa spun into his face, throwing him back. "You're tough, but I'm not alone."

"Chew," Chew grumbled in annoyance. He rolled away when he heard a cry of "Flame Star!". A small pellet hit the concrete where he had been only a second ago, bursting into flame that died the second afterward but left a scorch mark on the ground. "Wait a second. I know you." His eyes locked onto Usopp. "You're the one that was shooting at our captain. ...Chew."

"Yeah, I was!" the sniper declared, brimming with courage brought about by being behind a fighter like Gin. "What's it to you?"

"I-" Chew jumped away, a weighted tonfa crushing the ground he's been on. "Dammit! Let me talk! Chew!"

"Why?" Gin growled. "So you can keep saying "chew"? No thanks." Gin spun, giving his weapons more force as he struck at his foe. Chew rolled away from the iron, dodging Usopp's attacks all the while. He ran to the water before diving in to avoid a Lead Star.

"Damn!" Usopp cursed. "What now."

"Well-"

"Squirt Gun!" Gin was blasted by a large stream of water, the highly-pressurized liquid blowing him into and through the first wall of Arlong Park's building.

"Gin!" Usopp yelled.

"You're next!" Chew shouted. "1,000 Shot Squirt Gun!"

"Crap!" The long-nosed teen started running back and forth trying to avoid the bullets of water the fishman was firing from his mouth. "Fireball!" he yelled, trying to get in a counterattack. Chew was forced to cut off his attack and duck below the surface, the heat from the attack causing the surface of the water to steam. Usopp took his opportunity and ran to Gin's side where he lay in the rubble of the wall. "Come on, Gin," he begged. "You're stronger than me."

"Urg," Gin moaned. "What am I to you? A human shield?"

"Now's not the time for that!" Usopp panicked as Chew resurfaced, cheeks full of water.

"Stop him!" Gin called out.

"Exploding Star!" Despite the stress, Usopp's aim was true, plugging Chew's mouth with a pellet that exploded. Unfortunately, due to half of the projectile getting wet, it only blew up with half of the usual force.

"Chew!" the fishman yelled in pain, his arms coming up to his face. He bent over and starting sucking up water.

"Gin, do something!"

"I can't! I'm a close-range fighter and the gunpowder in my flintlock is wet! You do something!" Chew started swelling, the water intake causing his body to expand.

"What do you want me to do?!"

"I don't know! Do you have any poisons? Something to interrupt his insides?"

"No! Why would I... Wait!" Usopp rummaged around in his bag. "Got it! Smoke and Pepper Star Combo!" At first, it seemed like he had fallen short of the fishman, but the two capsules broke in the water, coloring the sea a dark gray. The smoky water was sucked into the fishman who's eyes bugged out comically. He spit up the water, throwing both Gin and Usopp back into the rubble.

Chew couldn't see them from the water, but he didn't want to take chances. He filled himself before climbing out of the sea. He found his enemies pulling themselves from the wreckage.

"1,000 Shot Squirt Gun!" More watery bullets shot from his mouth, forcing Usopp and Gin to dodge behind some rubble, the latter trying to block some shots with his tonfa.

"Usopp," Gin whispered as high-velocity water whizzed over their heads. "Sanji was just hit. I can take this one now that he's on land. Distract the big guy."

"Got it. Exploding Star!"

"You're going to pay for that, Long-Nose!" Sanji's opponent shouted.

"Run!" Usopp took Gin's suggestion, sprinting away at top speed with Kuroobi in hot pursuit. Gin turned back to his fight. He swung at a large piece of wall, breaking it and throwing the pieces toward the thin fishman quickly. Chew deflected with one shot of water each, but the distraction was enough to let Gin close the distance.

His right weight slammed into Chew's stomach, doubling him over and making him spit up the rest of the water inside him, before the other smashed into the side of his face. Chew was flung to the right, but Gin followed. He brought both tonfa up before bringing them down on top of his foe's back. The former Krieg pirate did not let up, hitting him as hard as he could. Finally, he struck the back of the fishman's head, knocking him unconscious and leaving an imprint of his face in the concrete.

Gin stood over his bloodied opponent, not a hint of pity in his eye.

 **Gin versus Chew.**

 **Winner: Gin**

 **End of Chapter 15**

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 **There we go, the first half of the fight. How was it? Better that the fight with Krieg or worse? I want to know what you think! Also, I know this may be a dirty tactic, but I want to upload the next chapter before Friday. And I will, if I can get more than six reviews on this chapter (substantial reviews if you can. At least if it was better or worse). If I do get those reviews, chapter 16 will come out on Wednesday with 17 on Friday. If I don't, happy waiting!**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	16. Battle of the Captains

**And now for the finale of the Arlong Park Arc! I got those six reviews I wanted, you y'all are getting this on Wednesday. I hope this fight isn't too short and it was highly based off of the fight from the anime. Anyway, I'm sure you don't care for my ramblings, so onward!**

* * *

 **Chapter 16:**

 **Battle of the Captains**

"Hachi..." Arlong muttered in a mixture of disappointment and disbelief from where he was sitting on a piece of debris. His eyes moved over each of his most-trusted friends. "Kuroobi... Chew... To think you three would be beaten."

"Don," Gin told Luffy in his ever-respectful manner. "Arlong is alone. Would you like us to fight him?"

"No," Luffy responded in a serious tone. "He's mine." Luffy stepped forward as his male crewmates went to stand between the pirate captains and the people of Cocoyashi Village. Despite his protests, Zoro ended up getting help from Gin as to not reopen his wounds. Usopp had took up residence in the hole Sanji's body had made in the wall around the park. When they got there, they found someone they thought they had left in the village.

"NAMI-SWAAAAN!" Sanji yelled, his body seeming to turn into noodles at the sight of the orange-haired girl wearing Luffy's hat. She had her bo staff out, but Zoro and Gin doubted that she would be able to use it with her bandaged shoulder. "DID YOU SEE WHAT I DID? ARE YOU IMPRESSED?"

"Shut up, Ero-cook," Zoro growled, pushing himself off of the former Krieg pirate. "The fight's not over yet."

"Luffy," Nami whispered, eyes locked on the pre-battle banter.

"Do you know the biggest difference between you and me?" Arlong asked, standing so that he towered over the rubber teen. He still did not know of this human's power, Luffy had not fought yet, but Arlong knew that he should not underestimate this boy if he had the respect of the infamous Roranoa Zoro.

"The nose?" Luffy answered honestly, cracking his knuckles. "The jaw?" Luffy seemed to come to a revelation and pointed to his hand. "Webbing!"

"Species!" Arlong roared angrily. He swiped at Luffy before throwing his head forward to bite at the other pirate. Luffy danced away as quickly as he could. Arlong continued his assault, trying to take the teen's head off with his teeth.

"Gum-Gum Pistol!" Luffy's arm stretched, surprising the fishman who was thrown into the far wall, again. He rose from the wreckage undamaged.

"So you ate a Devil Fruit. This just got more interesting." Arlong shot forward, his webbed fist striking Luffy's face. The blow did no damage, but the force threw Luffy back. He landed on his neck in a way that would have killed him had he not eaten the Gum-Gum Fruit. With Luffy knocked away, Arlong took the time to prepare for a new attack.

He reached into his mouth and yanked out his teeth, leaving his gums exposed. Due to his shark heritage, they completely grew back a second later. He repeated the process with the other hand, so he had one set of teeth in each hand and one in his mouth.

"Tooth Attack!" Arlong shouted, shooting forward. Luffy scrambled out of the way. Where Arlong's teeth hit the concrete, it cracked and splintered to leave tooth-shaped potholes. The fishman gave that no mind and attacked again and again. Luffy countered with an unannounced Gum-Gum Pistol. Arlong lost his hold on the teeth he was holding and the ones in his mouth broke.

"Gum-Gum Whip!" Luffy's leg shot out, blindsiding Arlong and smashing him into the building, his broken teeth falling from his mouth. There was no movement. "Is it over?" Luffy questioned, disappointed.

Arlong burst from the building with a cry of rage, a crazed look in his eyes and a weapon in his hand. It was about four feet long with six triangular blades coming out of one side.

"It's the Saw Blade," Nami gasped. Neither Luffy nor Arlong heard her as they were too busy fighting. The fishman swung the blade horizontally and Luffy jumped over it, but Arlong lunged forward and delivered an uppercut to his jaw that rocketed Luffy to the upper level of Arlong Park. He cashed through the far left window of the highest level, the map room.

Luffy found himself surrounded by paper maps. Crashes outside indicated that Arlong was coming and he wasn't taking the stairs. The fishman smashed the wall beneath the broken window and stepped through the new hole to see Luffy holding a feather pen stained red with old blood. Arlong pointed the Saw Blade at him, placing his head between two of the triangular blades.

"There's nowhere else to run," Arlong sneered. "It's just you and me, here, in the highest level of Arlong Park. We will finish this now."

"What is this place?" Luffy asked, undaunted by the large weapon by his throat.

"This is the room where I made Nami draw all of her sea charts for me," Arlong answered. He saw no reason to deny his foe an answer since said foe would be dead soon. "Her talents are too good for human scum like you. She belongs to me and I will use her to bring about the Mighty Arlong Empire!"

"I don't care what you say!" Luffy retorted. "Because Nami is my navigator!"

"You want her the navigate your schooner? What a monumental waste of her potential. She will continue to draw sea charts for me." Luffy reached up and grabbed the blade before him as his other hand set the pen down. Arlong tried to move the blade, but for some reason it wouldn't budge. Luffy squeezed, shattering the sharpened triangle in his grip.

"No!" Arlong yelled in disbelief. That weapon he been with him even back in his days with Fisher Tiger and the Sun Pirates. How could a mere human child break it with only his bare hands?

"Use her?" Luffy growled out angrily. "You bastard! What do you take her for?"

Arlong tried to play off his nervous laugh as confidence. "She's an inferior creature, but she has risen far above her peers. If you are all sewer rats, she's a feisty little kitten. After all, she is adorable." Luffy couldn't help but to agree, but no one needed to know that, so he kept quiet. "She has her place, and it's next to me! So Nami will forever be my tool! SHAHAHAHA!"

A desk flew by Arlong's head, smashing through what was left of the the wall and scattering its contents to the wind. Two bookcases, one broken in half, followed.

"What do you think you're doing?!" the fishman shouted. Luffy kicked a work bench where Nami had spent many hours drawing, sending it out the hole as well. The falling furniture brought memories back to the girl, but that did not impact the fight. "Stop it now!" Arlong yelled, swinging at the teen with the remainder of his weapon. Luffy hopped out of the way, leaving a stack of sea charts to be cleaved in half by the broken blade. "My charts!" The stacks of papers were thrown out the window by Luffy, much to Arlong's dismay. They floated away the wind. Arlong grabbed the neck of the younger pirate as he bounced past to wreck more of the room, slamming his head into the wall and chocking him.

"Damn you, you human boy!" Arlong cursed, his pupils shrinking in rage. "That was eight years of work, eight years of planning and preparation, wasted!" Luffy flailed his arms, breaking more of the room as his fists randomly stretched. To stop him, Arlong when to bite down on his neck and sever his jugular, but Luffy knew that a bite to the neck would kill him. He reached forward and grabbed Arlong's nose. The serrated sides bit into his fingers, but Luffy cared not for his own pain. With a sharp twist, the proud nose of Arlong broke.

"I get it now," Luffy muttered as the fishman cried out in pain. "This isn't Nami's room. It's her jail cell and the only way for her to be free is to destroy it." Luffy threw his right leg through the ceiling and brought it down before Arlong could react. "Gum-Gum Battle Ax!" Every floor below the shark-man was crushed by the force. At the bottom lay Arlong, beaten and broken.

The structural damage was too much for the building. Cracks formed and widened. Walls came apart. A massive dust cloud was kicked up by the falling rubble as the building fell in on itself, but no one emerged from the wreckage.

"Luffy?" Nami asked, worry lacing her voice. She shuffled forward a few steps. "Luffy?! LUFFY?!" The building's remains shifted, and out of the top rose the bloody form of a teen pirate. He was breathing heavily and covered in scrapes. He sucked in a breath.

"NAMI! YOU'LL ALWAYS BE MY FRIEND!"

Arlong Park had fallen.

The people celebrated. Men kissed their wives, children played, voices sang. Nami, through her tears, rushed forward to hug the wobbling teen and he climbed down. She cried into his shoulder, eight years of pain and suffering coming out all at once. Before she knew what she was doing, she'd kissed him.

Nami backed off after several seconds, a scarlet blush over her cheeks. She handed Luffy's hat back to him, unable to look him in the eye. Luffy didn't know why (Dadan had never really explained), but he'd felt really happy when their lips had touched. He leaned in and captured her lips once more. Nami's eyes widened before she melted into the kiss and wrapped her arms around him. Somewhere in the crowd, Sanji's voice cursed Luffy for stealing his beautiful Nami-swan.

"YOU STRAW HAT BASTARD! GET YOUR RUBBERY HANDS OFF OF MY NAMI-SWAN!" Gin sighed andsmacked Sanji in the face with a tonfa, knocking the chef unconscious and putting out the fire in his visible eye.

"Hold it right there!" a new voice yelled. The moment was shattered. From the road came Marine Colonel Nazumi and his contingent of lackeys. "What a lucky day for me. I saw everything and I must say, I've very surprised. I never thought Arlong would be beaten by a bunch of upstarts, but it doesn't matter. All of the credit will go to Colonel Nazumi of Marine Branch 16. Chichichi!" Zoro approached him with an angry look in his eye.

"You're the one that shot my apprentice," the swordsman growled, cracking his knuckles. "You're gonna pay for that."

"AGHHH!"

A moment later, Nazumi and his men lay on the ground, covered in bruises. "I... I'll get you," he mumbled through his cracked teeth and busted lip. "Luffy is your captain, right. This will have serious consequences!"

"We'll take our chances," Zoro told him. Nami unwrapped herself from Luffy's arms and walked up to the injured rat.

"This is for taking my money and destroying Belimere's tangerines!" She beat him with her bo, adding to his injuries. "And give me back my money!"

"I promise! I promise!" The girl kicked him into the water where he swam away.

"Usopp," she ordered, "Scruffy. Find their ship. I don't want them leaving without giving us that money. We'll need it for supplies after we've set out."

"Right!" The two took off, Gin complaining about being called "Scruffy".

* * *

The entire island partied for several hours, Usopp and Sanji making fools of themselves and Luffy stuffing his face the entire time. Gin had already won two drinking competitions and was in a third. Zoro, Johnny, Yosaku, and Coby were in the doctor's office, recovering. Zoro was getting his stitches fixed when Luffy popped in, sticking his head through the window.

"Hey, have you guys seen Nami anywhere?" he asked, a piece of meat on the bone in his hand.

"Why?" Zoro smirked through the pain. "You looking for your new girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend?!" Coby yelled in surprise.

"Yeah," Luffy answered without pause.

"Well," Genzo started. "If she's not in the village, there's only one place she could be. I wouldn't disturb her."

"Well, alright. Thanks."

"What girlfriend?!" Coby shouted. "What did I miss?!"

* * *

It was the third straight day of partying. All of the swordsmen had been released the previous day and were out enjoying themselves with everyone else. Luffy had wondered out of the village in search of a raw-ham melon: an entire watermelon covered in swaths of ham and entirely wrapped in bacon. He'd ended up on a hill overlooking the ocean. Before him was Genzo, a cross placed in the ground before him.

Luffy was silent. Now that he was dating Nami, Sanji and, surprising, Coby had pounded at least some proper etiquette into him through the partying. He'd learned that Genzo was the closest thing Nami had had to a father figure. He turned to leave, not wanting to disturb the man at the grave.

"Wait there a second," Genzo ordered. He stood and approached the pirate. "You know Nami has decided to join you on your adventure, correct?"

"Yeah."

"Then listen well. If I hear that anyone on your ship, you in particular, make Nami cry, I will track you down and kill you myself. Is that understood?"

"Absolutely." Luffy gave him one of his wide grins. "Nami's my navigator, my nakama, my girlfriend. I'd rather die than make her cry."

"Well you better not. She'd cry if you went and died on her."

"Trust me. I can't die until I've become the Pirate King with Nami as my queen." Luffy didn't wait for a response. He turned and headed back to the village.

Genzo smiled slightly as the pirate wandered away. Luffy had this fire inside him. He just knew that the boy wouldn't go anywhere without his friends and that they would help him reach his dream.

 **End of Chapter 16**

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 **There we go. We're done with the Arlong Park Arc and about to move on to Louge Town. I have a feeling that a lot of people will claim that Nami and Luffy's relationship is suddenly moving too fast, but I would like to point out that the won't be saying anything like "I love you" for a long, _long_ time and their relationship will still not move quickly.**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	17. Luffy's Bounty and Arrival at Louge Town

**Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I am ecstatic because this story now has over 100 Follows! What a happy occasion! As usual, the next chapter will be out on Monday.**

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 **Chapter 17:**

 **Luffy's Bounty and Arrival in Louge Town**

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Destiny... Fate... Dreams...

These unstoppable ideals are held deep in the heart of man. As long as there are people who seek freedom in this life, these thinks shall not vanish from the Earth.

* * *

The Merry had been stocked with everything the group would need until they reached the Grand Line. Arlong Park had been pillaged by the people and everything of value taken to help rebuild the towns of the island. Zoro had gone back and stolen four swords: two as temporary replacements for himself and two for Coby in case they were unable to get anything better.

To remember her adopted mother, Nami had asked Luffy if she could take some tangerine trees with them. He had readily given her what she wanted, him, Sanji, and a slightly-forced Gin doing most of the heavy lifting. Zoro had taken Coby into the forest to do some light training to make sure both of them were good as new, even if Zoro now had a scar from Hawk-Eye's last attack and Coby a scar from Nazumi shooting him in the shoulder.

Now, every resident of Cocoyashi Village but one was on the docks to wave goodbye to the Straw Hat Pirates. The villagers were getting annoyed. Where was Nami?

"Set sail!" they heard the woman of their thoughts yell. She was standing 200 feet away, proudly displaying her new tattoo that had replaced Arlong's mark; a tangerine and a pinwheel.

"You heard her!" Luffy called. "Let's go!"

"She's gonna leave without letting us thank her!" one villager realized. They tried to stop her, but it was too late. She rushed through the crowd, passing by each person once. When she reached the end of the dock, the thief leapt off as hard as she could. Luffy's arms stretched out, wrapping around her waist and pulling her in. She pecked him on the lips before pulling back. The girl then lifted the hem of her shirt, allowing all of the wallets and purses that she's just stolen to tumble to the deck.

"What?"

"My wallet's gone!"

"She took my purse!"

"You damn thief! We'll miss you!"

Nami didn't turn around, or cry, or say goodbye. They sailed away, the voices of the townspeople echoing in the wind.

"Thank you."

* * *

Three days had passed since Nami had joined the crew and things were as lively as ever. The girl was reading the daily paper under an umbrella while Sanji beat Luffy away from her mini orchard. Usopp was working on a new projectile, Zoro was napping with Coby next to him, the boy cleaning and sharpening the stolen swords, and Gin had borrowed some of their weights and was exercising shirtless across from them.

"Come on, Sanji," Luffy whined. "I just want one."

"No way! These are Nami's tangerines. Nami-swan! Do you see how well I'm protecting your orchard?"

"Yes, Sanji-kun." Nami hadn't even looked up.

"Hey, Captain," Coby called. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Sure." Luffy walked over to the pink-haired boy and his first mate. "What is it?"

"Just a tip. If you really want a tangerine, don't try to steal it. Just ask Nami nicely. I mean, you are dating."

"Huh. Never thought about it that way. Thanks, Coby." Luffy wandered over to his girlfriend. "Hey, Nami. Can I have a tangerine from your orchard?"

"I don't know, Luffy," she rebuffed. "What's the magic word?"

"Hold on," Luffy muttered. "I know this one. Uh, open sesame? No, that's not it. Alakazam? No, not that one either..." Nami giggled. While Luffy was charming and very loyal to his friends, he certainly wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. Taking pity on his clueless captain, Gin strode over and whispered in his ear. "Oh. That makes sense. Nami, can I _please_ have a tangerine from your orchard?"

"Yes you can," she laughed. "Let me get it for you." She stood, jostling the newspaper as she did so. Out of it fell two tan sheets of paper with familiar faces on them.

 **WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE**

 **"Straw Hat" Luffy- 30,000,000 Beris**

 **"Pirate Hunter" Zoro- 20,000,000 Beris**

"What?!" Sanji yelled.

"This is not good!" Nami screamed.

"This is great!" Luffy Laughed.

"That's way higher than mine," Gin commented.

"Zzzzzzz," Zoro snored.

"Even Zoro-sensei got one!" Coby shouted.

"That's me!" Usopp cheered. Everyone looked at him in confusion. "What? Look in the corner, there." He pointed at Luffy's poster. "That's the back of my head. And that's my nose on Zoro's"

"Luffy, you're a wanted criminal!" Nami shouted.

"I know! And my bounty is 30 million! Isn't that great?! And Zoro is worth 20 million! Hey, Sanji. How about a celebratory meal? ...Please?" he added.

"Well, since you said please..." Sanji headed to the kitchen while Luffy and Coby talked about the captain's new bounty and how I compared to others. Zoro awoke at some point and was told about the new development, but he showed no signs of either surprise or worry.

Eventually, they passed by a Marine ship that looked like it could give Krieg's ship a run for its money for "most destroyed ship on the water". Despite this, it quickly turned around and chased them.

"Straw Hat Luffy!" its officer called, holding up a copy of his wanted poster. The man looked familiar, but Luffy couldn't place him. Coby and Gin, on the other hand, could; it was Lieutenant Fullbody. "You are hereby under arrest for crimes against the government! Men, fire!"

The cannonball shot at Luffy, but Gin got in its way. He batted it back with a tonfa, the projectile smashing into the side of the Marine ship. With a groan, the run-down ship started to sink. Fullbody stared at Gin, recognizing him.

"Would you keep it down?" Nami demanded from the other side of the deck. "I'm trying to read!"

At the same time, Sanji walked out of the kitchen to see what all the commotion was. Upon seeing him, Fullbody paled more.

"Take their ship!" The former lieutenant ordered to cover up his fear. His six men jumped the railing to land on the Merry's deck. Usopp knocked one off with a Lead Star. Gin shot one over the side with his flintlock, killing him. Zoro backhanded one into the water. Luffy punched another. Sanji kicked one away. Coby blocked a sword with his own and jump kicked his opponent in the face, causing him to stumble overboard.

With his crew defeated and his ship sinking, Fullbody attacked with reckless abandon. Sanji dealt with him the same way he had two weeks before. The Straw Hats sailed away, leaving six marines, one corpse, and one half-sunk ship in the middle of nowhere.

"Nami?" Luffy asked as Sanji headed back to the kitchen. "Where are we going?"

"Louge Town," she answered. Coby and Gin recognized the name, the latter having been there once before. "It's known as the Town of Beginnings and Endings because that's where Gold Roger was both born and executed."

"Awesome," Luffy smiled before turning to Gin. "We're going to have to talk about that killing thing after the meal. Anyway... hey, Nami. Can I have that tangerine now, please?"

* * *

"So this is Louge Town," Luffy said in awe, looking up at the sign that proclaimed the town's name. "I want to see the execution platform where Gold Roger died. We can meet back here later." He ran off.

"Luffy!" Nami yelled after him, but he was out of earshot. "He didn't even give us a real time and I bet he'll get lost."

"I'll go with him," Gin told her. "I've been here before and remember my way around." He took off after the excitable teen.

"I need some new swords," Zoro said. "I don't think these stolen ones will hold up to my strength."

"I can lend you some money," Nami smiled. "For some interest, of course."

"Fine," the swordsman grunted unhappily. "If I'm borrowing money, I might as well try to find Coby a better pair, too. Come on, Shrimp." They took their exit. Nami, Sanji, and Usopp went alone to look for clothes, food, and nick-nacks, respectfully.

Zoro and Coby were simply wandering. They had no guide and neither had been to Louge Town before. Upon leaving, Zoro had told his apprentice not to use his name in case someone recognized it now that he was a wanted man. The two were walking along when they'd heard someone scream and followed the sound. A ring of people had formed around a black-haired woman in glasses carrying a bundle who was being attacked by two large men. Neither knew why she was being attacked, but they did not care either.

"Sensei, we have to help her!" Coby whisper-shouted as the woman unwrapped the bundle and unsheathed a blade. The two men were down in an embarrassingly short amount of time. The woman's badass display was ruined, however, when she tripped afterward, her red glasses falling off her face and skidding over to the two Straw Hats.

"My glasses! I can't see without my glasses."

"Here," Coby told her, bending down and picking up the ocular assistance device. Zoro tensed when she looked up, her appearance bringing up memories of his past. Had he been the one with the glasses, they would have been crushed. Coby placed the glasses on her nose.

"Why, thank you," she said. "May I ask for your name?"

"I'm Coby. And this is my sensei. We're looking for a swordsmith. Could you help us?"

"Yeah, sure. Follow me. I'm Tashigi, by the way. Nice to meet you." The trio began walking, but only Coby and Tashigi talked to each other when the woman was not stumbling around clumsily. Zoro was still getting over the fact that this swordswoman looked exactly like his dead rival, Kuina.

Eventually, they came to a shop named The Kotestu Ryuu (Iron Dragon). A bell tinkled as the three entered the store. The owner, a small man who was going bald, looked up from the magazine he was reading on the counter.

"Hello," he greeted. "Can I help you? Oh, Tashigi. Here, I finished polishing your blade." As the adults walked up to the counter, Coby wandered the store to see if any swords called out to him.

"Excuse me," Zoro began. "My apprentice and I have four blades and 200,000 Beris to trade for four better swords. It would be best to have a matching pair for the Shrimp."

"May I see the swords you're willing to trade?" As Zoro removed the two standard blades from his haremaki, the owner's eyes landed on Zoro's white sword. His eyes bugged out comically, but he tried (and failed) to play it off. "Say, that's a pretty nice sword you've got there. May I see it?"

"No," Zoro answered. "This weapon is special to me. I will not be selling it."

"Are you sure? I can give you another 200,000 Beris for it."

"No."

"You push a mean bargain. Fine, 300,000."

"No, I'm not selling."

"Final offer: 600,000... 750,000!"

"Holy crap," Tashigi interrupted, getting a good look at the sword. "That's the Wado Ichimonji! It's worth no less than ten million Beris! How did you get it?"

"Damn you, girl!" the store owner raged. "I ought to sue you for obstruction of business!"

"I wasn't going to sell it anyway," Zoro muttered.

"Bah, fine. These other swords you brought in, they're of fishman origin, but they are rather worn from use. I don't care how you got them, but I can give you 25,000 for each if I want to sell them for profit. Unfortunately, the cheapest swords I have are those barrel swords over there for 50,000 Beris apiece."

"Fine. That'll work. Oi! Shrimp! Over here!"

"Yes, sensei!" Coby hurried over to the three wooden barrels of swords. He and Zoro started rifling through them. While they did that, Tashigi spoke.

"Why do you feel the need to carry three swords? Do you break swords that often or are you like that infamous bounty hunter that carries three swords? Have you heard of him? His name is Roranoa." She seemed to spit out the words "bounty hunter" and "Roranoa".

"I think he sounds pretty cool," Zoro said, catching Coby's eye so he got the message to play along. "You don't seem to like him, though. Why not?"

"He's a bounty hunter. Anyone who goes around killing people for money can't be called a true swordsman. Pirates are the only things worse."

Zoro found a sword with a black and red sheath and pulled it out of the barrel. When Zoro pulled the blade from its sheath, it had a flame-like temper, the blunt side a dark purple and the blade nearly white. Tashigi gasped when she saw it and started turning pages in her book.

"Just as I thought," she announced. "That's the Kitetsu III! It's one of the famous 63 Uwazimono!" She turned to the store owner. "You're only selling to for 50,000 Beris?"

"You're right," he lamented. "I can't sell you that blade."

"Why not?" Coby asked.

"This sword is cursed," Zoro observed, surprising the woman and shocking the owner.

"How can you tell?" the man questioned, confirming Zoro's words.

"I just... do." Zoro smirked. "I'll take it."

"No!" the man yelped. "Nope! No way! I can't sell you that sword. Many great swordsmen have met their demise after taking on a Kitetsu sword!"

"Let's see which holds out. My good luck or this sword's curse." Zoro threw the blade upward and stuck his arm out.

"What are you doing?" Tashigi yelled.

"You fool!" the owner screamed. "You're gonna chop your arm off!"

"Zoro-sensei!" Coby shouted. Luckily, the woman wasn't focused on the name he'd just yelled.

The spinning blade came down on his arm. Time seemed to slow down as the metal just missed Zoro's flesh. The blade sunk into the floor.

"I'll take it."

Tashigi fell to her knees, having thought that she was going to see this man lose an arm. Coby punched Zoro in the leg as hard as he could, which was quite hard after all the training he'd been forced through. The older swordsman only laughed at him. The store owner scrambled upstairs and ran back down with something under a tarp. He unveiled it to reveal a sword in a full black sheath.

"It's covered in a black lacker finish with an uneven temper pattern. This is the Ryowazimono Yubashiri," he introduced. "It's the greatest sword I have."

"Why are you showing it to me? You know I'm basically broke. There's no way I could afford it."

"I want you to have it," the man answered. "Free of charge. It's been a long time since I've met a man like you. I can tell that you'll become a legend. Please, take it. Call it an apology for trying to cheat a true swordsman."

"I... Thank you. I will gratefully accept. With this sword, I will make my name reach the heavens."

"Thank you. Now, with your original amount of 400,000 minus the 50,000 for the Kitetsu, that leaves 350,000 Beris, correct? I have a matching sword set here from an island in the Grand Line for 275,000 Beris. Both sides of the blades are sharpened and slimmer than average, making it good for stabbing as well as slashing. The handles are long enough for both two-handed and one-handed grips and are made of Alabastain leather. The swords themselves were made there as well." Coby took the weapons from the man and gave them a few practice swings. They were heavier than he was used to, but that was nothing some practice couldn't fix.

"I like them," Coby announced. "They feel... right."

"We'll take them," Zoro nodded. He handed over the fishman swords and counted 125,000 Beris. Coby strapped the swords' red sheaths to his back the way he usually did as his teacher slid his new weapons into the loop on the right side of his sash. Tashigi glanced at the clock and yelped a very unladylike word.

"Shit! I'm late for training! Captain Smoker is going to kill me! Good luck, you two." She left in a hurry.

"Wait," Coby got out. "She's a marine?"

"Yup," the owner answered. "A Sergeant Major and one of the best on the island."

"I'm glad she missed me saying your name, Zoro-sensei. She really didn't like your reputation."

The shop owner paled. "Yo-You're R-R-Roranoa Zoro?!"

"That a problem?" the green-haired man asked.

"N-Not at all! I'm honored to have you in my shop!"

"Good, but if anyone asks, I was never here. At least, not until tomorrow. Let's go, Shrimp. Knowing Luffy, he's probably ticked off the Marines by now."

"Our captain does have that kind of track record, doesn't he?"

 **End of Chapter 17**

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 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	18. Getaway!

**Hello, readers! I hope each of you had a Merry Christmas or a happy whatever-holiday-you-celebrate! I know I did! This chapter here is the last chapter in the East Blue, so you know what that means! Once again, I'll offer to post the next chapter on Wednesday, but the demands are going to be higher. Last time I asked for 6 reviews, right? This time I'm asking for 9. Once again, productive reviews, if you can. Thanks!**

* * *

 **Chapter 18:**

 **Getaway!**

Gin was able to catch up with Luffy after a bit of running. The teen had strayed from the path a little, but the former Krieg pirate was able to get him in the right direction. Unfortunately, the crowds were quite thick and Gin refused to let Luffy use his Devil Fruit powers because that would attract too much attention. Feeling that he would get nowhere with his side of the argument, Luffy settled into a long, slow trip. While the walk was boring, they didn't get sidetracked and reached the square within 15 minutes.

"Finally," Luffy smiled as the platform came into view. "The place where Gold Roger died. I want to see what he saw."

"Wait, Don Luffy!" Gin tried to reason. Luffy didn't listen. He threw his arms forward and grabbed onto the edge of the platform before pulling himself up with a Gum-Gum Rocket. Gin could only stare in abject horror as his captain made a show of standing where the previous Pirate King died. It was only a matter of time before something went wrong.

"Hey, you!" a marine with a megaphone shouted at Luffy. "Get down from there! You're standing on property of the World Government!"

"But I just got up here!" Luffy replied. "Plus the view is amazing!"

"Don!" Gin called. "Please!"

"If you don't come down, I'll have to place you under arrest!" The man had just finished his sentence when he was batted away by a giant iron mace. The club was wielded by a beautiful, black-haired woman dressed in a pink, heart-themed shawl and jean shorts with a pink cowboy hat. Many of the men in the area were staring at the woman with hearts in their eyes.

"I've been looking for you, Monkey D. Luffy," the woman called up to the teen. "I'm here to make you mine."

"Do I know you?" Luffy asked.

"You really don't remember me?" she asked, looking hurt. "I certainly remember you. You were the first man to ever really hit me."

"I never hit you!"

"You did," she insisted with a smile, cupping her face with her free hand. "And it felt so good, too. I can't have changed that much. Maybe this can jog your memory. Boys! Who's the fairest woman to sail the seas?"

"You are, Beautiful!" all the men roared. The lady basked in the praise. Luffy seemed to be remembering something, but by the look on his face it wasn't something good.

"That club," Gin gasped, realizing who this was. "Are you Iron Club Alvida?"

"The one and only," the woman confirmed.

"No way," Luffy denied. "You don't look like her at all."

"Well, after eating the Smooth-Smooth Fruit, I did lose my freckles."

"Yeah, that must be it," Luffy replied in his most sarcastic voice. "If you were Alvida, I'd have to give you a beating for hurting my nakama."

"Last we met, you were alone. What nakama did I hurt?" Luffy's fist zoomed down, hitting her face, but it did no damage. The attack literally slid off her cheek. Luffy was not deterred.

"Coby."

Alvida's face soured at the name. "That brat that I used as my cabin boy and was always spouting nonsense about joining the Marines? You took him onto your crew?"

"Hell yeah I did! And he's gotten stronger."

"Don Luffy!" Gin shouted. "Look out!" His cry came too late. A wooden stockade came down, capturing the teen's head and arms. Keeping the wood steady was a man with long, dark green hair covering one side of his face and a scarf: Cabaji the Acrobat.

"Long time no see, rubber freak," Cabaji sneered. Luffy struggled to escape, but he was unable to. A group of men in cloaks that had surrounded Alvida threw them away to show themselves as Buggy the Clown and his men.

"Everyone stay _flashily_ where you are!" Buggy yelled, his men drawing guns and holding everyone in the square hostage. Buggy himself used his Chop-Chop powers to fly up, sword in one hand and stolen megaphone in the other, to the stand and relieve Cabaji of his post. "For the crime of being annoying and pissing me off," Buggy roared into the megaphone he'd taken from the marine Alvida had assaulted, "I, Buggy the Clown, sentence Straw Hat Luffy to death! Stay where you are and watch as I _flashily_ execute this bastard!"

* * *

A large storm was coming, Zoro could feel it. He and Coby were sitting on a set of stairs polishing their new weapons when Usopp, Nami, and Sanji passed by. Usopp had a new pair of goggles and Sanji was carrying a large blue fish with tusks and a trunk. Nami was loaded with multiple bags of various colors and sizes filled with clothes she'd haggled down to near-free prices. Coby called out to them, bringing them over. They talked for several minutes during which Nami mentioned that a huge storm was coming in rapidly. Sanji and Zoro had just agreed to go get Luffy and Gin when the voice of Buggy the Clown echoed across town.

"For the crime of being annoying and pissing me off, I, Buggy the Clown, sentence Straw Hat Luffy to death! Stay where you are and watch as I _flashily_ execute this bastard!"

"Shit!" Nami, Zoro, and Coby yelled. They split up, Coby, Nami, and Usopp (carrying the mystery fish) heading to the ship to prepare the Merry to leave as soon as possible. The older swordsman and chef ran off toward the square to try to save their rubber captain.

* * *

A storm was quickly blowing in. The wind whipped Buggy's cape around him as he brought his sword up. Buggy's maniacal laughter echoed through the square as he reveled in the feeling. A dull thump showed that ten men had subdued Gin so he couldn't help his captain.

"Luffy!" two voices yelled. At the entrance of the square was a man with a green bandana wielding three swords and a blond in a suit.

"Zoro!" Luffy called. "Sanji! A little help please?"

"You rubber-brained idiot," Sanji growled, lighting a cigarette and tapping his foot. "You can't die, yet. That'd make Nami-swan cry. I can't allow that."

"Let's go, Ero-cook." Zoro agreed. The two ran forward, beating pirates away as they came by them. They moved as fast as they could, but it seemed too late.

"Sorry, guys," Luffy said with a smile. "Zoro, Coby, Usopp, Sanji, Gin, Nami! I'm dead." Buggy's sword came down.

"Don't say that!" Zoro ordered.

"You can't die!" Sanji yelled.

"Don, no!" Gin shouted.

"He smiled?" Smoker gasped.

But Luffy's death was not to be. Lightning struck the platform just as it started to rain, the charge attracted to the metal of the sword. The famous item caught fire and collapsed. Luffy's hat fluttered down to the ground where a slim hand picked it up. Luffy placed it on his head and laughed as Buggy's burned form twitched beside him.

"Oh. I'm alive. That's nice."

Gin, who had thrown off his attackers when the lightning struck, dropped his weapons in shock. Sanji's cigarette fell from his mouth. Zoro barely held on to Wado Ichimonji with his teeth. Smoker, from his position in an adjacent building, let the binoculars he was using fall from his grasp.

"That's nice?!" Gin roared, picking up his weapons and hitting Luffy over the head. "You had us worried sick, Don Luffy!" The rubber man was unaffected by the blunt weapon. He only laughed in response.

That's when the marines filed into the square. They surrounded all of the pirates, guns ready to fire at a moment's notice. At the lead of this charge was a woman Zoro recognized. A cloud of white smoke came down next to Marine Sergeant Major Tashigi and took the form of a broad man with white hair. This man wore a Marine Captain's cape and was smoking two large cigars, a multitude of replacements on his person.

"Buggy the Clown, Iron Club Alvida, Man-Demon Gin, Pirate Hunter Zoro, and Straw Hat Luffy," the man announced. "My name is Marine Captain Smoker. You and all members of your crews are under arrest. Please come quietly."

"Time to go!" Luffy announced. He spun his right arm around Zoro, Sanji, and Gin and shot his left to latch onto a chimney on the edge of the square. His arm retracted, taking him and his three crewmen with it. Smoker tried to stop them, but the rain slowed his smoke just enough to let the pirates get away, for now.

* * *

"Hurry!" Nami insisted. "We have to get back to the ship! The Marines may already be there!"

"Can't we just drop the fish?!" Usopp yelled.

"I'll help!" Coby told the sniper as he grabbed the flailing tail end of the fish. The trio continued to run until the Going Merry cane into view. In front of the ship was Mohji and his lion, Richie.

"Well, if it isn't the little thief and the coward! You're not getting past us!" The Buggy pirate yelled. "Sick 'em, Richie!" The lion pounced. Usopp tried to reach his satchel, but the elephant bluefin tuna was in the way. Nami tried to counter as well, but all the shopping bags she was carrying hampered her efforts. Coby acted instead. He dropped his end of the fish and unsheathed his blades.

Richie tried to stop at the sight of the swords, but the rain reduced the friction of the stone they were standing on. His face hit the crossed blades with just enough force to break the skin where the outer sword touched. Coby swiped the swords in a square shape, moving the blades in opposite directions of each other, first horizontally, then vertically. The attack cut off most of the lion's mane. He finished by kicking the large feline in the snout, pushing him away to slide into his master. Mohji was crushed between a fear-stricken Richie and the hard wood of the Merry.

"Pandora's Box!" Coby named the attack. With them out of the way, the trio clambered onto the ship. They were just in time as the marines that had been pursuing them exited one of the roads. They started shooting at the ship, Mohji and Richie furiously dodging to avoid being hit. Cannons went off, making the choppy waves bigger.

"We have to take off now!" Nami yelled. "If we don't, the ship'll sink! We'll come back for the others later!" The trio started to pull out. The marines cried out, falling one by one. There, where they had been, was Sanji.

"Nami~!" Sanji yelled in Love Mode despite the situation. "I'm coming~!" He chased the ship, beating off marines as they caught up. Usopp provided cover fire from the ship, but the rough seas hampered his aim. Coby grabbed a loose rope and threw it to the ship's cook who caught it. Sanji dove into the water to get closer as Coby reeled him in with all his strength.

"Where's Luffy?" Nami asked as Coby hauled the blond over the edge.

"Fighting Smoker," Sanji replied, shivering. "He'll catch up. He's too stubborn to die."

* * *

 **(Earlier)**

"Nami-swan was right about this storm!" Sanji shouted over the rain. "We need to hurry!"

"No duh!" Zoro yelled back. "Luffy! Do you know which way the ship is?"

"Nope!" The teen responded. Behind them, the cries of a pack of marines could be heard. A figure loomed in the fog before them. As they got closer, the haze lifted to reveal Tashigi.

"Who is that?" Sanji asked with hearts in his eyes.

"Roranoa Zoro!" Tashigi demanded. "You are a liar and a pirate! I cannot allow you to leave this island with your swords. Give me the Wado Ichimonji, the Kitetsu III, and the Yubashiri! Now!" She unsheathed her own unnamed sword. Zoro did the same, drawing Kitetsu III. He lunged forward with one sword, catching her forward slash.

"Moron!" Sanji yelled angrily. "You can't just attack a woman!"

"Back off!" the swordswoman demanded. "This is our fight! I don't need any help! Especially from a filthy pirate like you!"

"Get out of here!" Zoro ordered as the two clashed.

"Gin," Luffy said. "Stay here to help him find his way back. I trust you can fight off the marines. And you know my rule about killing?"

"Yes, Don Luffy," the Man-Demon answered. "No killing unless they specifically threaten our nakama." He'd gotten that talk from a very serious Luffy after killing that marine when Fullbody attacked their ship on the way to Louge Town. The captain and chef skirted around the fight as Gin turned and charged the hoard following them, tonfa spinning.

"Marimo!" Sanji shouted as he passed. "If you hurt her, I'm gonna kick your ass!" They left.

"You will not get away," Tashigi growled. The two were locked at a stalemate. That was, until Zoro pulled out a second sword, the Yubashiri. He was taunting her, not using the Wado Ichimonji that she wanted so much, but she had no time to think about that. The Pirate Hunter's attack speed doubled, forcing the marine into a constant state of defense. Behind them, Gin had knocked all of his own opponents unconscious.

Zoro backed her into a wall, disarming her and stabbing the brick next to her head. They stared into each other's eyes, one with hate and fear, the other, subdued confusion and arrogance with a hint of pain. Tashigi's sword clattered to the ground a few feet away.

"I hate to disappoint," Zoro began, "but you'll never get this sword from me." He sheathed his blades and made to leave.

"Why didn't you kill me?" Tashigi growled. "Is it because I'm a woman? That just because I'm physically weaker than you, I'm not worth the effort?"

"Shut up!" Zoro snapped, silencing her. "You look like my rival who died many years ago, ok? You look like her and now you're talking like her, too! It's bringing up memories I'd rather not see, so just back off!" The marine was speechless. "Besides, Luffy has a rule about killing. Let's go, Gin."

"Aye," the other man responded. They ran off, leaving the Sergeant Major to fall to her knees in defeat.

* * *

 **(Meanwhile)**

"I see the harbor!" Luffy cheered.

"Not so fast," Smoker ordered, materializing in front of them. "You can't leave until you beat me."

"Really?" Luffy questioned. "Sanji, go on ahead. I'll catch up later."

"No you won't. This will be the end of you, Straw Hat Luffy." Luffy faced his enemy as Sanji darted around. The rubber-man jumped forward, punching at the Marine Captain. Smoker responded by turning his body into smoke and grabbing the teen.

"What is this?!" Luffy yelled.

"I ate the Plume-Plume Fruit," Smoker provided, slamming the black-haired pirate into the ground. "I'm made of smoke now." He threw Luffy over his shoulder. The pirate did not move. "What's wrong? Done already?"

Luffy pulled himself up. He thrust his arms forward multiple times, attacking with a cry of "Gum-Gum Gatling!" His fists rained down on the marine, but his attacks did nothing.

"Smokescreen!" Smoker shouted, pinning Luffy to the building behind him. "You're not worth 30 million," the marine taunted. Smoker went for his jutte to finish the rubber-man off, but the hand of a man hidden by green cloak stopped him. All movement froze as lightning struck in the distance, illuminating the red tattoo design on the right side of the man's face. "Great," Smoker smirked. "Now the government can have your head, too."

"The world is still waiting for our answer," the man said mysteriously. A heavy wind with a green tint filled the streets, blowing Smoker away and Luffy, as well as Zoro and Gin, to the docks.

"Luffy!" Nami shouted from the ship, the caravel a fair distance from the shore. Luffy could barely hear her, but it was enough the roughly know her location.

"Stay there," Luffy told the other men on the shore. "I've got this." He ran back, stretching his arms out to grab the corners of the street. The pirate lined himself up with his two crewmembers and the Going Merry before jumping and snapping forward. "Gum-Gum Rocket!"

"Oh damn," Zoro cursed just before impact.

They blasted forward, much to Zoro and Gin's chagrin. Usopp threw a lasso at them, pulling them down to the deck. Luffy ended up falling on Nami, but he just pecked her on the lips before getting up, much like she had when leaving Cocoyashi. The crew sailed until the light of a lighthouse showed through the darkness.

"That's it," Nami told them with a laugh. "The entrance to the Grand Line is somewhere up ahead."

"This is it!" Luffy exclaimed, placing his foot on an extra barrel. "I'm gonna be the King of the Pirates!"

Sanji followed. "I'm going to find the All Blue!"

"To be the world's greatest swordsman!"

"To draw a map of the whole world!"

"To overcome my fear of that sea and reach its end!" Gin nodded.

"The be a brave warrior of the sea!"

"To see Luffy achieve his dream!" Coby added.

"YEAH!" they all cheered, smashing the barrel.

 **End of Chapter 18**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **Remember, I want 9 of them by Wednesday and another chapter will be out!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	19. The Island Whale, Laboon

**One again, I have received the review count I asked for, so, once again, you lovely readers have earned another Wednesday chapter. Here, we have the entrance of the Grand Line and our favorite whale, so let us begin.**

 **Oh, and to Nwandu225: Thank you so much for your extensive review. I was elated read your opinion. As I mentioned, I try to have a 2k word minimum and, while some chapters may fall just short, others can be one-and-a-half times that length. It is simply my comfort zone. Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter 19:**

 **The Island Whale, Laboon**

It took eight days to get to the entrance to Reverse Summit and the ride up and over was the thrill of a lifetime for all. Gin had been up the mountain once before, but that did nothing to detract from the awe of going again. Nami had explained a few hours before going up about how the stream worked through heavy currents. Luffy, of course, had not understood a single word of the explanation and had taken to calling it a "mystery mountain" while Zoro had not believed it to be possible. Reaching the top of the mountain, the Going Merry nearly flipped before turning to the only stream going down.

"Woo!" Luffy cheered, an arm wrapped around the top of the mast as the wind resistance caused his body to flail backwards. "This is the best!"

"My ears!" Coby cried, the sudden ride up and the subsequent descent causing his eardrums to pop far more times than was recommended.

WHAAAAA

"What was that?!" Nami yelled over the rushing wind.

"What was what?!" Usopp yelled back. "I can't hear anything over the wind!"

"Maybe it was the sound of my love?!" Sanji swooned, slipping backwards since he let go of the railing to offer the woman a hug.

WHAAAAA

"No, that!" the navigator answered, waving the flirtatious cook off. "You heard it that time, right?!"

"I heard something!" Coby offered. "Don't know what, though! It almost sounded like a foghorn!"

"Oh shit!" Gin yelled from the mast, the sight of a big black hump appearing through the mist at the bottom of the mountain. "There's an island whale at the bottom! We have to turn or we'll hit it!"

"Coby!" Luffy ordered. "Usopp! Sanji! To the rudder!" The trio ran to the turning point of the ship and started pulling, but the current was too strong. The rudder broke with a loud crack.

"We have to slow down!" Zoro yelled.

"The rudder broke!" Usopp panicked.

"Why didn't you mention the whale before?!" Nami shouted at Gin.

"It wasn't in our way last time!" Gin snapped back. They were getting closer and the Straw Hats thought it was going to be the end of them. Luffy ran to the inside cannon. With his crew's screams in his ears, he fired, the opposite momentum slowing them to the point that only the figurehead broke rather than the whole ship, the ram-shaped wood falling onto the deck with a thump. Luffy didn't seem to care that they were lucky for only that amount of damage, though.

"You bastard!" he shouted at the whale, a large, black animal whose entire nose was covered in great, crisscrossing scars. Zoro and Gin rowed around the large mammal as fast as they could to try to avoid an incident. "That was my special seat!" The captain threw his arm forward, nailing the giant in its giant eye.

"You idiot!" everyone yelled, Nami going the extra mile and hitting her boyfriend over the head as hard as she could. The whale's mouth opened, sucking in gallons upon gallons of water, and the Going Merry with it.

The Straw Hats had just been eaten by a whale.

It was a bumpy trip down the animal's gullet, throwing the seven-person crew around their ship. The chef, the sniper, and the pink-haired boy were relatively unharmed in the dining room where the rudder was located, but Nami slammed into Luffy and Gin was thrown over the side.

"Man overboard!" Zoro called from where he'd crashed into some barrels. Luffy hopped up, one arm around Nami to keep her close and make standing faster. His other arm stretched over the side in Gin's general direction. It bounced around for a few moments before he felt something latch on and pulled it in.

"Look, guys!" Luffy joked as he hauled the Man-Demon onto the deck. "I caught a big one!"

"Now isn't the time for jokes, Captain Luffy," Coby whined, a large bruise on the right side of his face from where some of Usopp's flailing had been too close. Seeing no immediate danger, most of the crew took in their surroundings while Sanji eyed Luffy's left arm, which was still around Nami's shoulders, with disdain.

They seemed to be on a green sea. Fluffy white clouds hung in an azure sky. Birds could be seen soaring through them, but their calls were nowhere to be heard. A tiny island seemed to bob in the water, a tiny house atop it. Their view of the island was suddenly obscured by a giant, pink beast.

"Giant squid!" Nami, Coby, and Usopp screamed, the latter two grabbing each other in fear and the former grabbing the captain. The monster trio smirked in excitement, ready for a fight. Three harpoons sprouted from its head in three spurts of blood before the squid fell backwards, dead. Following the lines from the fired weapons, the crew saw a man in the doorway of the house.

"Could it be?" Gin mumbled before the man stepped into the light. He was an older man who was balding, but his lack of hair was augmented by the purple-and-yellow feathers that made up a plume-like thing on the back of his head. A Hawaiian shirt and purple shorts covered his form, and a round pair of glasses sat on his face. "It is. Old Man Crocus."

"You know this guy?" Zoro asked, eyeing the stranger warily.

"Yeah," the former Krieg pirate answered. "He greeted us the last time I entered the Grand Line and gave us a log pose."

"Hi!" Luffy waved, releasing Nami from his grip. "That was really cool, but can you tell us where we are?"

"Isn't it obvious?" the other man asked. "You were just swallowed by an island whale."

"We were eaten?!" Usopp panicked, again. "We're all gonna die!"

"Oh calm down, boy," Crocus placated. "I can get you out easy enough, but-"

There was an explosion that cut the man off. The whale cried out in pain as all attention was dragged to the two eccentric figures on the metal balcony that the pirates had not noticed before. There was a man and a woman, both armed with rocket launchers.

The man had medium-length ginger hair, a dark green vest with a red ascot, and a crown on his head. Two marks like the number nine were painted on his cheeks, one under each eye. He also had green disco pants and shiny, black boots.

The woman had long, light blue hair in a single ponytail and pale skin. She was dressed in a purple and pale-blue zigzag crop top that accentuated her assets, a light green coat, and white shorts. She also wore heeled boots to make her the same height as her apparent partner.

"It seems that wasn't enough, Ms. Wednesday," the man commented.

"Indeed not, Mr. 9," Ms. Wednesday agreed. The pair prepped their weapons again, but Luffy was faster. His hands shot out, grabbing the man's shirt and the woman's hair, and pulled them to the Merry. The duo lost their grips on their weapons as they were pulled through the air. The man, Mr. 9, landed with a thud on the deck that knocked him unconscious. Sanji reached out and caught Ms. Wednesday, but rather than saying thank you, she smacked the chef for thinking he was having lecherous thoughts. (If the hearts in his eyes were of any indication, she may not have been that far from the truth.)

With Sanji and the mystery man out cold, Nami tied up Ms. Wednesday and Mr. 9 and Coby tried to awaken the chef. Crocus explained that they were from a company that had been trying to hunt Laboon, the whale, for several months to use him as food, but he'd fended them off. The pirates, Crocus, and their two hostages exited through a large metal door in the side of the whale.

When Usopp questioned the morality of hollowing out a living whale, Crocus told him of his bond with Laboon and how he came to be the whale's caretaker. That was over 50 years ago and Laboon had been hitting his head on the Red Line for all that time, convinced that his friends were still alive and traveling.

Luffy, of course, decided that Laboon just wanted a good fight and attacked while everyone else either called him an idiot or started repairing the ship, the most noticeable addition being the steel plate holding the figurehead in place, almost looking like a choker. In the end, Luffy called his fight with Laboon a draw and pained his disfigured drawing of the Straw Hat jolly roger on the whale's scarred head, forcing Laboon to stop beating it against the Red Line lest the skull-and-crossbones be ruined and their deal for Luffy to return be off.

The captive agents had tried to escape, but the ropes holding them had been too tight for them to wiggle out of. They managed to jump over the side of the Red Line but were unable to swim, forcing Gin and Sanji to rescue them from drowning. Bending down, Coby picked up a weird-looking compass on a watch strap from the deck; the agents' log pose.

"Hey, Gin?" the boy asked. "Is this one of those log poses you and Nami were talking about?"

"Yeah," Gin responded, taking it from his grip. "We should give it to Donna Nami since she's the navigator."

"Hey!" Mr. 9 cried out. "That's my log pose! Give it back!"

"Pirates," Gin gave as an explanation. He took the navigation tool to the orange-haired girl, passing by Sanji who was on his way to prepare the elephant bluefin tuna he'd gotten in Louge Town. While he did that and Nami talked with Crocus about the weather patterns in the Grand Line, everyone else got busy either helping to repair the ship from the beating it took or training on the shore by Crocus' lighthouse.

* * *

The table was set. Everyone was eating, drinking, being merry, and defending their plates rather well from Luffy's thievery when Ms. Wednesday swallowed her pride and spoke up.

"Could..." she swallowed. "Could you please take us back to our home?" she asked. The woman seemed pained by the words. Suddenly, her stomach growled, followed by that of her partner.

"Not until you apologize for trying to kill Laboon," Luffy answered through a mouthful of fish.

"I cannot apologize," the woman responded. "We were hunting the whale to help feed our home because there is a food shortage. I can only promise that we will not hunt this whale again." Her stomach growled again, causing the blunette to blush.

"I guess I can understand that. Coby, cut their ropes. I'm inviting them to eat with us."

"Are you sure that is wise, Don Luffy?" Gin questioned as Coby stood, taking his plate with him due to knowledge that it would be raided if he left it. Two swift cuts later and the duo were free of their bonds. "I don't think they're trustworthy," Gin finished.

"Might I remind you of your origins before joining this crew?" Zoro pointed out.

"...Touché."

Ms. Wednesday shuffled over to the table, Mr. 9 trailing behind. Sanji had set up a fancy seat for her (complete with a glass of wine) and a lawn chair for the male. The Love Cook proceeded to shamelessly dote on both Ms. Wednesday and Nami, the latter not bothered at all and the former very.

"So what happened to your boat?" Nami asked, trying to make conversation.

"It was destroyed by a storm," the other woman answered bluntly.

"And you thought you could carry the whale back without a ship?"

"Yes."

"Oh... Uh, where do you live?"

"A town called Whisky Peak. It's one of the first islands in the Grand Line."

"Then tha' sounds like our des'ination," Luffy interjected. Nami smacked him for talking with his mouth full.

"So you'll take us home?" Ms. Wednesday asked hopefully.

"Sure," Luffy swallowed. "Why not? We needed to pick a route anyway." That settled, lunch became a more subdued affair. Luffy continued to snag food from all but Nami, but he became less successful as the meal went on.

With lunch over and the Going Merry repaired, they crew plus two prepared to depart on their first adventure into the Grand Line.

"Let's go!" Luffy cheered from his special seat. "Onward! To Whisky Peak!"

 **End of Chapter 19**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	20. The False Town (part 1)

**Chapter 20:**

 **The False Town (part 1)**

Is started snowing 20 minutes into their first voyage in the Grand Line. At 30 minutes, it changed into a thunderstorm. At 40, nearly a hurricane. The entire crew, minus a certain snoozing swordsman, were in a constant state of panic trying to keep up with Nami's instructions to keep the Going Merry above water. It was a difficult task, but they managed with the forced help of their two passengers. By the one-hour mark, the storm had passed to leave a nice spring breeze in its wake. The Merry arrived at its destination that evening, a late fog covering the area. Mr. 9 and Ms. Wednesday hopped onto the ship's railing when the island came into sight.

"We really must thank you for the ride-" the male began.

"But we really must be going," the female finished.

"Bye bye, Baby!" the two exclaimed together, diving off the side of the ship and swimming the rest of the way to the island.

Nami sweatdropped. "Well that's one way to make an exit," she commented. The Merry sailed into an inlet of the island. Shapes danced in the mist on either side, dropping an eerie feeling on the crew.

"I don't like this," Gin muttered, his weapons fidgeting in his hands. "It feels like we're walking into an ambush."

"Be ready for anything," Zoro ordered, him and his student readying their weapons. "This could go downhill real fast." The fog lifted...

... to reveal a cheering crowd welcoming them to Whisky Peak.

"Welcome to the Grand Line!"

"Pirates! Warriors of the high seas!"

"Thank you for coming!"

"They have some pretty cute crewmembers!" one woman called.

"Dibs on the blond one!" another shouted.

"No! He's mine! I saw him first!"

"Are people really this welcoming on the Grand Line?" Coby asked, lowering his blades.

"Look at all the cute girls!" Sanji exclaimed with hearts in his eyes, dancing his noodle dance. "I've never seen so many in one place!" They dropped anchor at a small dock and disembarked. A large man with blond hair shaped into three layers of curls that wrapped around his entire head and a suit stepped up to them.

"MA, MA, MAAA!" he called, clearing his throat. "I am Igarrapoi, the mayor of this town."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Luffy. I like your curls."

"Thank you. We have heard of your exploits, Straw Hat Luffy, so... MA, MA MAAA! So let us welcome a celebrity such as yourself with a party!" The townsfolk threw up a cheer and swept the pirates away one by one. Zoro was able to keep Coby close and warn him not to drop his guard no matter how nice the people seemed. His first rule was to never let your guard down around new people.

Luffy ate himself full for once in his life, but it took three chefs and four hours for him to do so. Usopp began detailing his many adventures to anyone who would listen and fell asleep while recounting when he'd fought a giant goldfish at five years old for the seventh time that night. Sanji was flirting with 20 girls at once before falling asleep while lying across the laps of several of them. Nami, Gin, and Zoro were dragged into a drinking contest with a prize of 100,000 Beris while Coby watched. The final two, Zoro having passed out after his thirteenth cup and Gin his fourteenth, were Nami and a dark-skinned nun.

"Yer already droppin' out?" Nami questioned with a drunken slur. "Gin, you wuss."

"There is no shame in dropping out now, my child," the nun insisted, trying to hold her composure. "The Father with still love us all equally."

"Not on yer life, sister," Nami responded, a heavy blush over her cheeks. "I never give up when money's involv- *hic* involved." The two chugged another cup before the religious woman fell to the table, calling it quits. Nami laughed loudly and grabbed the sack of money.

She stood, wobbling quite a bit. Coby stepped in to give the obviously-inebriated woman a hand. The rosette led her to where Luffy had passed out on the floor and the navigator promptly fell next to him, curling up into his side and snuggling with her winnings. Coby managed to get back to the sofa his teacher had fallen asleep on before a sharp sting in his neck forced him into unconsciousness.

* * *

Zoro woke Coby and Gin three hours later and gestured for them to stay quiet as the two groggily came to. The three took in the room around them. None of the villagers were left in the building, only the crew. Luffy had shrunk back to his normal size and was hugging Nami from behind, the girl still hugging her bag of winnings. Sanji was draped over a couch, mumbling about beautiful women and the nasty things his would do to them if he could. Usopp was face-down on a table, propped up by his nose and snoring loudly.

"What is it, Zoro-sensei?" Coby whispered, still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. The green-haired man did not answer. He indicated for the two of them to follow and exited the building through the back door. There, the trio climbed a ladder to the roof and snuck over to the other side. The two they had given a ride home, the mayor holding a saxophone, and the nun who had discarded her baggy clothes to show that she was even more muscular that Zoro and had pink hair were on the street in front of the building, talking.

"I'm sorry to say that our mission was a failure," they heard Mr. 9 sigh.

"It's not a problem," nun-lady waved off in a rather deep voice for a woman. "It's not like anyone had high hopes on you actually getting the meat."

"Hey!" Mr. 9 and Ms. Wednesday shouted in indignation. "Why don't you try to go kill that damn whale yourself?!"

"Keep it down, you two," Igarrapoi scolded. "We shouldn't... MA MA MAAA! We shouldn't wake the pirates."

"I still don't understand why we wasted so much food for this one crew when we could have just ambushed them at the harbor," nun-lady commented. The three eavesdroppers tensed. It _was_ an ambush.

"Look at this," Igarrapoi answered. He was holding a copy of the wanted posters for both Luffy and Zoro, the prices on their heads clear as day.

"WHAT?!" The other three shouted.

"That moron's worth 30 million?!" Ms. Wednesday questioned.

"And that other man was Pirate Hunter Zoro?" Mr. 9 added.

"Don't be foolish," Igarrapoi chastised. "Appearances can be... MA MA MAAA! Can be deceiving. That goes for all of you."

"Sorry about that," Muscles apologized.

"It matters not. What matters is that our prey is trapped. For now, take everything of value from their ship."

"Hey!" Zoro called, standing and pulling out Wado Ichimonji, causing the four on the ground to gasp. "Sorry to interrupt, but do you mind letting my friends sleep? They've had a rough day."

"Mr. 8!" some no name called from a doorway into the building. "Ms. Monday! Some of the pirates are gone!"

"One of them is right there," Ms. Wednesday sighed, obviously irritated by the late notice.

"You wretch!" Mr. 8 growled as a crowd grew around him. "Why are you not asleep like the others?"

"A good swordsman never lets his guard down," Zoro told them. Coby and Gin walked up to stand by his side. "Plus I took a nap earlier. Judging by the scowls and cheap disguises, I'm guessing you're all bounty hunters and that your specialty is robbing drunk pirates after they succumb to your hospitality. It's original, I'll give you that."

"Zoro-sensei. I count about 100, give or take."

"Good. You could use some experience and I could use some exercise. Don't you think, Baroque Works?" There was panic on the ground at the mention of the name.

"How do you know that name?!" Mr. 8 called out in worry.

"I got a letter a couple years ago when I was still a bounty hunter inviting me to join. Naturally, I declined. Do the same rules still apply? Cheesy code-names and nobody knows anyone else's real name?"

"If you know all our secrets," the faux mayor began, "then we'll just have to kill you. Of course then we couldn't let the other two just go. Looks like we'll be adding three more gravestones to the Cactus Rocks tonight. KILL THEM!"

"Shrimp, Gin, take the grunts. I'll take Big Hair, Crown Boy, Muscles, and Wednesday."

"Yes, Zoro-sensei," Coby answered. Gin just nodded and jumped off the roof. He landed on a clump of bounty hunters, tonfa swinging. Coby was not as direct. He hopped down to an empty area. While he had seen death before, he had not personally taken a life yet, so the boy was not going to aim to kill like Gin might.

Not intentionally, anyway. Gin would have no trouble with it. He'd been fighting with his tonfa for several years and if he wanted someone to live or die, he knew how hard to swing, but this would be Coby's first real fight with his real swords, which he had named the _Sabaku no Kiba_ (Desert's Fangs) on account of their Alabastian origins. Three grunts rushed the pre-teen with swords. Coby settled into a low stance as they approached, his swords held parallel to the ground in front of him, one at chest height and the other at eye level.

"Two Sword Style," he muttered, suppressing his fear, "Streaming Wolf Swords." He leaned out of the way as the first sword cut through the air where his face had been a second before. This was nothing new; Zoro had started using his real swords in training to help Coby adjust to his weapons' new weight, so he'd had several close calls and was no longer fazed into stillness. The next slash was aimed for his left arm, but the boy swept his appendage inward and twisted to stab that attacker in the arm. Coby gave no heed to the grunt's cry of pain as he avoided the third man's thrust by shifting his body. He twisted around, slamming the bottom of his right blade into the base of the man's neck. He went down, unconscious, but there was no time to celebrate.

The first attacker had come back, aiming to cut the boy to ribbons. Using his shorter height, Coby ducked under his horizontal slash and swept the man's legs out from under him with a basic move Sanji had taught him. Wanting to incapacitate him for as long as possible, Coby kicked the grunt between the legs, causing the only other conscious opponent to whine in pity and cover his own family jewels.

Leaving that agent to squirm in agony, the pink-haired boy faced down his last foe of this match who was definitely still feeling the hole Coby had put in his arm. The man charged forward with an overhead slash, but Coby blocked his weapon with a cross block, shocking the agent with his strength.

"You guys are nothing compared to Zoro-sensei," Coby smirked, pulling the Sabaku no Kiba blades apart and forcing the man's sword up and over his head. With speed developed through hours of training, the boy twisted his swords into a reverse grip and brought them up by his head. "Bull Needles!"

He lunged forward while the grunt was off balance. The ends of the blades plunged into the shoulders of the Baroque Works agent, severing the tendons and rendering his arms useless until given time to heal. To finish, Coby pulled his swords out of the man's joints and kicked him in the gut, causing the man to hit a wall behind him. The man slid to the ground, out cold and bleeding, but alive.

"Now where is Zoro-sensei?" Coby asked himself, the sounds of battle echoing through the streets. The boy decided to follow them. He ran through the streets, glancing through each side road to keep an eye out for any more enemies. A clump of Baroque Works agents came out of the intersection in front of the youngest Straw Hat pirate, so the rosette ducked into an alley to the right.

The pathway was dark, shadows falling from the buildings on either side. Coby slunk through, keeping his swords prepped to defend himself at a moment's notice. A shadow moved at the far opening.

"Oi! We've got the kid! He's in this alley!" Coby bolted toward the other end, but it was already blocked off by two more thugs.

"Nowhere to run now, punk," the man blocking his entrance grinned, "but those are some pretty nice-looking blades. What do you say you give me those swords and we'll let you go?"

Coby tightened his grip on his weapons. A quick glance behind him confirmed that two others were prowling closer, their mean smiles visible in the dark.

"You want my swords?" Coby asked as he fell into his ready stance. "You can pry them from my cold, dead hands."

"Whatever works," the man shrugged. He lunged and the pounding of footsteps reached Coby's ears from behind. Coby ducked under the first sword swipe from the front and kicked backwards into the gut of the man behind. That man stumbled backwards into his friend, the two tripping over each other. Coby jumped out of the way from instincts ingrained into him from Zoro's training.

They saved his life. A pair of overly-sharp nails cut through the air where his head had been. The person connected to the weaponized nails was a woman whose features were hidden in the shadows of the alley. She sneered at the boy and swiped with open-hand attacks. One of her attacks cut four parallel lines into Coby's left forearm, her thumb just missing. Pain dulled through adrenaline reached his brain, but Coby had no time to pay it any mind.

Zoro's apprentice spun around, trying to imitate his teacher's Dragon Twister. The same power wasn't there, but the spin did allow him to shove his attackers away. The girl with the nails used them to slow her momentum, lodging them in the walls on either side, but they got stuck. The pirate ran forward and kicked the woman in the stomach, using her as a springboard. In the air, he kicked off of a wall and landed on another man's face, knocking him unconscious with the force of his head hitting the ground. Coby ran off, leaving the disoriented/unconscious quartet behind.

 **End of Chapter 20**

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 **Yes, I know it's a cliffhanger. They just happen. Muhahaha!**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	21. The False Town (part 2)

**Happy New Year, everyone! I think all of you are starting to get the regular deal on Mondays, so I'll cut to the chase. I'm asking for ten (10) reviews this time. With 120 follows (wooo!), that shouldn't be too much to ask for, right? If I can get those reviews by Wednesday morning, you all will get another chapter. Deal? Deal.**

* * *

 **Chapter 21:**

 **The False Town (part 2)**

 _"Shrimp, Gin, take the grunts. I'll take big hair, crown boy, muscles, and Wednesday."_

 _"Yes, Zoro-sensei," Coby answered. Gin just nodded and jumped off the roof._ As he fell, Gin pulled his tonfa out of his jacket. Spinning both with the ease of much experience, he brought them down on the heads of a man with a shotgun and an ugly woman with a katana. Their skulls cracked audibly and Gin highly doubted that they'd ever stand up again.

"Looks like you'd need more than just three gravestones if you're going to kill us," the Man-Demon chuckled darkly. His aura of a predator on the loose instilled fear in the hearts of many of the bounty hunters.

"Man-Demon Gin," one of the braver men said; he must have been well-versed with the wanted posters. "Wanted for 2.4 million Beris. Formerly a pirate under the command of Fleet Commander Don Krieg and now serving under Straw Hat Luffy. You will die here and now."

"I don't think so," Gin smirked, ignoring the guns and swords pointed at him. "You see, I just got to the Grand Line and have no intention of stopping on only the first island. Spinning Death!" Gin rushed forward, his weapons spinning rapidly. The battle seemed too fast to keep up with. Obviously, he was deemed as more of a threat than Coby because over half of the cannon fodder had decided to attack him.

Gin twisted to the right, his left tonfa smashing into the ribs of a swordsman with a blade wider than his own form. It was far too heavy for the man to raise in time, so his ribs were broken by the force of only one of Gin's tonfa. Another man came in swinging a mace. The Straw Hat pirate intercepted with his right tonfa, the weighted end smashing the mace. The agent was so shocked at the destruction of his weapon, he never saw the ball coming toward his face until it crushed his nose. Gin smiled and saw red as battle lust overcame his senses.

There was a reason he had been given the moniker of Man-Demon: his battle-fueled insanity. Once he began, had no doubt, and had no one he needed to protect, Gin became a monster bent on death and destruction.

A maniacal laugh tore from Gin's throat as he crushed a man's head between his tonfa, leaving the corpse to fall the ground. The hoard around him had lost their forward momentum, horrified by the display.

"You have threatened my nakama," Gin chuckled in the silence, twisting the situation to fit his captain's rule. What Luffy didn't know wouldn't hurt him for tonight. "You wish to kill us or hand us to the World Government for public execution. I cannot allow that to happen if we want to fulfill our dreams, therefore, I will not hold back." He lunged forward, tearing through his enemies.

Another insane laugh tore from his throat. It would be the final sound some of his attackers would ever hear.

* * *

Zoro vanished from the roof after watching his companions hop to the ground and reappeared between his four chosen opponents, shocking then with his speed.

"This will be a good test for by new swords," Zoro mentioned nonchalantly. "First up, Yubashiri." He unsheathed the sword and pointed it at Mr. 8. "Bring it on."

"Igarrapa!" Mr. 8 shouted, bringing his instrument up to his lips. A horrid noise, like cats in a blender, erupted from the mouth of the saxophone along with a hail of bullets. Zoro jumped out of the way, the projectiles moving on to pepper some agents looking the other direction. The swordsman ran forward to cut the weapon in two, but Ms. Monday and Mr. 9 intercepted him, the latter armed with two metal baseball bats.

"Do you really think you can take on four number agents on your own?" Mr. 9 taunted. Ms. Monday did not care for such trivialities and just punched the ground. She would have hit Zoro, but he dodged out of the way. Other agents, ones without numbers, charged the swordsman, hoping to prove themselves and work their way up the company with his defeat.

Rather than deal with them annoying him throughout the battle just to deal with them later, Zoro decided to just get rid of the small fry now. He spun around, Yubashiri cutting through air and flesh.

"Light and well-balanced," Zoro commented. "I like it." Yubashiri seemed to sing as he fought using only one sword. He cut down several more adversaries, dodging the number agents' attacks as he did so, before pulling out Kitetsu III. "Now let's see what you can do."

The pirate ran up a ladder onto the roof of a building, ten or so agents trailing behind him. At the top, a man with a small cannon on his shoulder fired a cannonball at Zoro. His new sword came up of its own volition, cutting the iron ball in half. The Pirate Hunter brought Yubashiri up and slashed across the assailant's chest. He'd live. Probably.

"Swords should only cut when their masters tell them to," Zoro scolded his weapon, not fazed in the slightest that it had moved to cut a projectile. "You may be sharp, but you'll listen to me now." Light danced off the unmoving blade, weather in agreement or argument was unknown. A shadow that wasn't his own caught Zoro's eye, causing him to duck.

Ms. Monday swung a ladder, the improvised weapon going over the pirate's crouched form and breaking upon contact with the wall behind him. She dropped the ladder and grabbed his neck, choking him. The woman brought her right fist back, steel knuckles shining in the moonlight. The agent slammed the pirate into the rooftop and punched him, cracking the building. Ms. Monday thought Zoro was dead; she was in for a real shock when his right arm shot up and his hand got a hold of her face. She screamed as he squeezed.

"You want to test your strength against mine, Muscle Woman? You lost." Zoro kept squeezing until the woman passed out. Finally, he let her fall flat and faced the people on the ground, blood oozing from where the woman had punched him. "Is that the best you have to offer, Baroque Works? Because you'll need to do better than that."

The agents seemed to be in a state of shock. They could not believe that this man managed to best Ms. Monday. Some claimed that the Marines had to have made a mistake and that Zoro had to be the true captain.

"Igarrapa!" Mr. 8 shouted, his sax making that God-awful noise again. Zoro hopped out of the way of the bullets it fired. Gin ran in from the side, his bloodied weapons aiming for the deadly instrument in the man's hands. Mr. 8 backpedalled quickly, trying to stay out of the Man-Demon's range.

"Come here, Carue!" Ms. Wednesday called with a whistle, taking Mr. 8's place as Zoro's opponent. A large duck wearing an aviator helmet, a water bottle around its neck, and a saddle quacked in response from a dozen feet away, holding a wing out. "I said come here! Not shake!" She met the bird halfway and climbed onto its back. "Show them how fast you are!" The fowl sat down. "I didn't say sit!"

"Really?" Zoro questioned. "A duck?"

"You get distracted too easily!" Mr. 9 yelled, charging him. "How will you defend against my Bloody Bats?!" They clashed, Zoro's two new swords against the agent's two metal bats.

Zoro smirked and sheathed Kitetsu III. With only Yubashiri, his battled Mr. 9 until the man fell off the side of the building from backing away too far. He crashed into a box at the bottom, startling a swordsman.

"We're not done yet, Mr. Bushido!" Ms. Wednesday called from where she was standing on her duck. The air became hazy with the stench of perfume as Zoro covered his mouth and nose the hold off the paralytic. Just as he was about to be overwhelmed, Zoro smirked, seeing his student sneaking up behind her. Just as the blunette was about to do whatever she was about to do, Coby knocked her off the duck. Both Ms. Wednesday and her pet tumbled off the side of the building. Mr. 8, ragged but breathing and with one gun poking out from each curl, soon followed as Gin threw him from the second story above them.

"Finally," Zoro yawned, sheathing his blades. "Now we can get some peace and quiet." He sat on the edge of the building, observing their fallen opponents. "I thought that nine guy would have come back, though."

"I caught him by surprise," Coby informed him, sitting beside his teacher. "He wasn't too hard to beat by taking him from behind. Almost landed on me, though."

"That was a good workout," Gin commented, flicking the blood off of his tonfa.

"Kyahahaha!" they heard a woman laugh. The trio glanced over the side to see that the three agents they'd just defeated were being confronted by two more.

"Mr. 5!" Mr. 9 wheezed. "Ms. Valentine! Wonderful. With you here-"

"Kyahahaha," the woman cut him off. She was on the shorter side of five feet and had straight blond hair cut short covered in a yellow hat with an orange rim. She had a slim waist with assets accentuated by her lemon-themed dress, the outfit showing off her long legs. Pale skin flowed down her legs and arms, her hands covered in white gloves. Pale blue eyes shined with sadistic mirth as she twiddled with a yellow umbrella the same color as her lemon earrings. "What happened to you all? Two pirates and a brat?"

"Did you come here to laugh at us?" Mr. 8 growled.

"Nope," the man, Mr. 5, grunted in a smooth voice. "That's just a bonus." The agent had wild black hair in a short afro and a closed, brick-red overcoat that went well with his darkly-tanned skin. A box 5 sat on the left breast of his overcoat and a pair of sunglasses rested on his nose, hiding his eyes. "We're not here to help you at all."

"Did you really think we'd come all the way to the beginning of the Grand Line just the help you clowns?" Ms. Valentine added.

"Then why are you here?" Ms. Wednesday asked with a waiver in her tone.

"The boss sent us," Mr. 5 answered, a finger idly trailing into his nose. "Said someone had learned his secrets. Don't know what secrets. Don't want to know. Obviously, someone else did. We've come to tie up all the loose ends and eliminate all of the intruders from _that_ kingdom."

"Now wait a second," Mr. 9 commented. "I'm not a king or anything. I just wear a crown because it's a hobby."

"Not you, you moron," Mr. 5 growled as his partner laughed. "We're here for the princess of Alabasta, Vivi Nefertari." Ms. Wednesday was panicking by this point. Her duck, Carue, ran in front of her as if to protect her.

"You will not harm the princess!" Mr. 8 shouted as he stood, his thumbs laced through the bow around his neck. "Not as long as I, Igaram, the head of castle security, am still breathing. Igarrapapa!" He pulled the knot, firing the guns still poking out of his hair.

Only Ms. Valentine moved to dodge. She jumped impossibly high and opened her umbrella. When the bullets connected with the male agent, he literally blew up. The explosive force was caught by the woman's accessory and lifted her higher into the air. She deftly maneuvered herself, floating as if weightless until she was over Ms. Wednesday. She closed her parasol.

"10,000 Kilo Press!" She dropped like a stone, Carue and the apparent princess fleeing quickly. Even so, they were still knocked over by the shockwave Ms. Valentine caused when she landed, a crater forming with her at the center. The princess pulled out her weapon, some weird pinky rings, and tried to retaliate. Luffy wandered out of the building they had partied in, a sleepy look on his face.

"Wha's goin' on out 'ere?" he asked, having been awoken by the sound of Mr. 5 exploding. "Woah! Where'd that crater come from?"

"Kyahaha!" Ms. Valentine laughed, hopping out of the indent and floating ten feet in the air. "You're pretty quick, Princess Vivi, but our orders are to eliminate you. Nothing personal." While the princess was busy avoiding the weightless woman and Mr. 8 was fighting Mr. 5, who hadn't died from the explosion and was flicking exploding boogers, Zoro leaned over to Coby.

"Shrimp. Get down there and tell Luffy what we heard. We'll let the captain decide what to do next."

"Yes, Zoro-sensei," the rosette answered before hopping down. Zoro glanced at Gin who was staring at the blonde with the parasol.

"What is it, Gin?" Zoro smirked. "You window shopping?"

"...No," he answered. Zoro's face told the Man-Demon the swordsman didn't believe him. "I just have a thing for sadistic chicks, OK?"

"Hey. I'm not judging."

"I'm not quite sure what's going on," Mr. 9 commented, jumping away from a crumbling wall that had been the latest victim of Mr. 5, "but we've been fighting together for a long time, so get going, Ms. Wednesday. Bloody Bats!" The agent backhandspringed toward the exploding guy. Mr. 5 responded by flicking two boogers at once, one hitting 'Igaram, the Captain of Alabasta Castle security' and the other hitting the acrobatic batter. Mr. 9 rocketed backwards, bloody and dead. Terrified, the princess hopped on her duck and took off. Mr. 8 landed on his back hard, looking up at Gin and Zoro. Apparently, he was made of sterner stuff than the younger agent had been.

"Please," he rasped. "Save the princess. Please. There could be a reward in it for you."

"We'll do it!" Nami shouted, running out of another building, the word 'reward' drawing her like a moth to a flame.

"Nami wants it," Luffy declared, barely understanding Coby's well-worded explanation. "She's coming with us. Coby, get the others and take her to the ship. Zoro, Gin, and I will meet you there. We're leaving as soon as we kick these guys' asses."

"Aye, Captain Luffy." Coby rushed into the building, vaguely hearing Luffy say "Zoro, Gin, take Afro Guy. Nami, go help get the ship ready to sail. I'll go after the girl and the other girl."

Following his orders, Coby walked in to see that Sanji had squirmed off the couch and was holding Usopp's hand, still muttering about beautiful women. The boy dashed over and roughly woke them.

"Time to go," he told them. "Short version. Town of bounty hunters, a hiding princess, we're taking her home and risking our necks. Get up." Sanji was awake and noodle dancing at 'hiding princess'. Usopp was awake and panicking at 'risking our necks'. All in all, not abnormal. They hurried out the backdoor as the front of the building exploded. Coby insisted they head straight to the Merry while he went to retrieve the princess they would be escorting.

Sanji had wanted to go, too, but Coby deterred him by mentioning that she was fighting a female agent at the moment.

The rosette followed the sound of terrified quacking. Carue was running away from Luffy and Ms. Valentine's fight; the agent kept trying to fall on the captain, only his rubber body preventing her attacks from being effective.

"This way!" Coby called out to the blunette. Vivi urged her mount on, running past the boy who managed to grab a hold of the saddle as she passed. "Take a left up here!" he yelled over the sounds of explosions. The Going Merry came into view after the turn, Nami, Usopp, and Sanji on the deck scurrying about.

"Thank you," Vivi cried, tears falling down her face and the memories of Mr. 9 and Ms. Monday (who had sacrificed herself to try to hold off Mr. 5 when he'd come for her) flashing through her head. "Thank you for everything."

They never noticed the otter or vulture watching silently, the former sketching the pirates' faces into its notebook.

 **End of Chapter 21**

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 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	22. Little Garden

_**Sooooo.**_ **There wasn't an update on Wednesday... but there is one now! I hope you people are ready for a surprise. I don't think anyone has done something like what you will see in this chapter and I really do want to hear what you think about it. If you _don't_ like it for whatever reason, _too bad._ What happens next as a plot point. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 22:**

 **Escorting the Princess, Little Garden**

"Thank you for doing this," Vivi Nefertari muttered to the Straw Hat Pirates, Whiskey Peak shrinking into a dot on the horizon behind them. The crew plus one human and one duck were sailing away after defeating all of the townsfolk and the Mr. 5 pair. "I don't know how I can ever repay you."

"Money is always nice," Nami hinted without shame. "I'd say one billion Beris would do."

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Vivi responded in a whisper. She told the crew about how her kingdom, Alabasta, was in a state of civil war started by Baroque Works, who the leader was, and how he claimed for their ultimate goal was to create an ideal country only for that to be a lie.

Of course all but Luffy, Zoro, and Gin had panicked when they'd heard that Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords, was running the show.

They'd panicked again when a black-haired woman showed up on their ship.

"You better watch out for the rocks in the fog. They've been known to sink ships." The woman, who was sitting on the second-level railing, was about 5' 8" and dressed in a purple skirt and vest that exposed her stomach. Her feet were dressed in white boots and a white cowboy hat rested on her head, shading her blue eyes and the top of her neck-length black hair from the sun. A long, white, fur coat hung from her shoulders to her feet. All the pirates instantly readied whatever they fought with.

"M-M-Ms. Allsunday," Vivi squeaked. "Wh-What are you doing here? How did you get here?"

"Who are you and what are you doing on my ship?" Luffy asked.

"She's gorgeous!" Sanji swooned, doing his noodle dance.

"I saw your friend Mr. 8 just a little bit ago," Ms. Allsunday said, disregarding the other questions. "He wasn't looking very good."

"What did you do to Igaram?" the princess demanded.

"Nothing" Ms. Allsunday waved off. "I really didn't need to; he had enough injuries to kill a normal person."

"Vivi, who is this woman?" Nami asked.

"That's the partner of Mr. 0: Ms. Allsunday. We followed her to learn his identity."

"I let you follow me," the woman corrected. "I just want to see what will happen: will the princess be able to save her kingdom from the predator or will it crumble despite her best efforts?" There was some small motion and suddenly Luffy's hat was flying through the air toward the female agent. She plucked the hat up and plopped it over her own.

"Give me back my hat!" Luffy raged.

"I've heard quite a bit about you, Monkey D. Luffy," Ms. Allsunday chuckled, a hint of mirth working its way into her voice. "Any other pirate crew, I know they would ultimately fail, but this one? Things are going to get interesting. Please take this eternal pose to Namiwasho and skip Little Garden. If you go there, we wouldn't need to lift a finger to end your resistance."

"Keep your pose," Luffy responded, stretching his arm forward to take his treasure back. "I'm the captain and I don't trust you. We're going to Mini Garden."

"Little Garden," Coby corrected.

"Yeah, that."

"That's fine," Ms. Allsunday responded with a shrug. "I think you'll find a way to Alabasta anyway. Goodbye." She hopped off the side of the ship and onto the back of a large turtle with a saddle. The turtle swam off, leaving the pirates to their devices.

* * *

(Five days later)

Vivi had been integrated into the daily life of the Straw Hat Pirates. There had been giant dolphins and strange weather, but she'd slowly gotten used to the happy-go-lucky tune of the Going Merry. They were just pulling into Little Garden when tensions started to rise. The island was covered in a thick jungle that buzzed with the energy and sounds of the native wildlife. Two huge white mountains stuck out of the foliage in the distance, their surfaces covered in large holes. It only got worse when they saw a tiger five times larger than any should be kneeling over and dying from claw marks.

"I don't think we should explore this place," Usopp suggested. "I think I can feel my Don'tGoOnThatIsland disease acting up."

"This'll be great!" Luffy exclaimed in his usual manner.

"No way!" Nami argued. "We should just stay on the ship and wait for the log pose to reset!"

"I'm afraid we can't," Sanji told her, lighting a cigarette. "Our food stores wouldn't get us to the next island. We need to either find a town here and stock up or hunt everything we see."

"Sanji," Luffy called. "Make me a big pirate lunch to go. I'm going to go exploring."

"May I go with you?" Vivi asked. "I want to see what's out there, too."

"No way!" Nami denied again. "For one thing, Luffy's _my_ gullible idiot. I'm not going to let him walk around with another woman alone. Two, we've been charged with protecting you until we get to Alabasta and we don't know what's out there."

"Don't worry. I'll take Carue with me." The duck tried to protest, but Vivi ignored him. "That would make it three of us and Carue is the leader of the Super Sonic Duck Squadron back in my home country, so I'm sure he's faster than anything in the jungle." Nami backed down, but she wasn't happy about it. The three left after Sanji outfitted them with backpacks of food (or a smoothie in Carue's case).

"I'm going for a walk, too," Zoro announced, hopping off the ship.

"Bring back some meat, would you?" Sanji asked him.

"Sure. You know I could take down way more than you could. Hell, Shrimp could take down more than you could."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Maybe it is, Crap Cook."

"Challenge accepted, Marimo," Sanji declared, jumping onto the island. "You're taking Shorty, so Gin will be my plus one. The group that brings back the most meat wins."

"Good. Shrimp! Let's go!"

"Wait up, Zoro-sensei!" Coby yelled, scrambling down the ladder. Gin followed and the two duos split up, leaving a worried Nami and Usopp alone on the ship.

* * *

Coby didn't like this island of Little Garden. He and Zoro had soon learned that Little Garden was populated by creatures that had been thought extinct several millions of years ago. Upon learning this, and using his limited knowledge of dinosaurs, Zoro had run off to fight some of those "big-ass lizards". This left a very lost Coby in the middle of a dinosaur-infested jungle.

"Zoro-sensei!" the boy yelled, trying to find his way back to either his teacher or the Merry. "Zoro-sensei!" He heard a stick break somewhere to his right and bolted in the opposite direction. The young swordsman sprinted for a good five minutes before trying to take a sharp left and running headfirst into a tree. He fell, but, still scared of the indigenous animals, decided to climb the tree to get a better view and to get away from the ground.

It turned out that the tree was some sort of fruit tree, probably some predecessor of apples or pomegranates. While climbing, the rosette's stomach growled, causing him to remember that Sanji had not packed either him or his teacher any lunch. Deciding that it would be best to eat something rather than try to find his way back on an empty stomach, Coby reached out and plucked a red, cantaloupe-sized fruit from a branch. The fruit was sweet, a mix of citrus and apple tastes dancing over his tongue. Taking another, Coby proceeded to eat several of the prehistoric fruits.

Having loved their taste so much, the boy never noticed that the next fruit he plucked was different than all the rest. Its color was more of a greenish-grey, swirly patterns dancing over the skin. Three white stem-like protrusions poked out of one side in a triangular formation, two on the top and one underneath. Coby bit into it and promptly turned green at the taste.

It was the worst thing Coby had ever eaten in his short life. Nevertheless, he swallowed out of instinct. A strange, tingly sensation filled his being as the remainder of the fruit fell from his hand. Small scales, the same color the fruit had been, sprouted over Coby's form. He gained weight, quickly becoming too much for the branch he was on the hold. The boy's mouth elongated, his lips hardening into a sort of beak while his forehead extended upward and flattened out, his hair shrinking into his altered head and his glasses widening to reach his now-slitted eyes. Coby's hands and feet changed as well, his middle and ring fingers fusing together and his thumbs twisting around to become the only projection on the opposite side. A tail tore through the backside of his pants, becoming half the length of his body. Finally, three horns grew from his face, two out of his hardened forehead over his eyes and one from his nose.

Coby hit the ground not as a human, but as a dinosaur. He panicked, trying to stand on his back two legs, but he was too top heavy for that now. All Coby managed to do was stumble around and get his third horn, the one on the bottom, stuck in the fruit tree he'd been climbing. After a few minutes of uncontrollable fear, his rational mind finally regained control.

Coby took in the situation. He was a dinosaur, a triceratops to be exact. His clothes, with the exception of his shoes, were still on (thank Goda), though now several sizes bigger. His weapons were still strapped to his back, the straps holding each sheath on having lengthened like his clothes. He came to one conclusion. He must have accidentally eaten a Devil fruit, most likely the Ancient Zoan: Model Triceratops.

In hindsight, it's not that far-fetched for an Ancient Zoan to be on Little Garden as it was an island of dinosaurs untouched by human civilization, but this thought was not relevant to Coby's problem of being stuck in a tree. The young swordsman tried to sift through his memories of the transformation to see if there was anything he could use to try to change back into his human form.

There had been a sensation; a tingly one right before it started. He latched onto that, willing it to come again and alter his form, but he didn't quite succeed. The young swordsman shrunk until he was just over his average height and his hands and feet changed back to normal with the exception of being slightly larger and having scaly skin. His tail was still there, but smaller, now only about a foot long and slowly wagging back and forth as he shifted his balance. His lips had not returned and were a small beak, a miniature curve still present. The fringe of a forehead had shrunk and sprouted his hair, said hair in the back and hidden from the front, and the triad of horns were half the length they were before but just as sharp, about half the length of his swords. Now in this new hybrid form, Coby was able to pull himself from the tree.

"Well," Coby told himself before the panic could return. "I didn't like swimming anyway."

* * *

"My dino is obviously bigger!" Zoro yelled, nearly butting heads with the swirly-eyebrowed chef and pointing at the T-rex-like dinosaur said chef and Gin had killed. "It's got way more meat on its bones than that pathetic excuse of a lizard!"

"Not possible!" Sanji argued, gesturing to the swordsman's three-horned beast. "That thing is just fat and mine is longer!"

"Would you two please calm down?" Gin tried to reason. "And where is Coby?"

"He ran off and got lost," Zoro told him, not worried in the slightest for his pupil. "He can take care of himself, but that means I hunted this alone while you had help, so you can only claim half of that meat. That means I win."

Sanji growled, but he couldn't come up with a counter point. Lucky for him, he didn't have to. A shockwave of epic proportions rolled through the area, its epicenter two dueling giants, one armed with a sword and the other an ax. They did not appear to hate each other. As a matter of fact, they seemed to be having a friendly conversation while fighting to the death. None of the three could hear what they were saying, though.

"That doesn't look good," Zoro sighed, "and knowing Luffy, he's probably dragged Vivi into that somehow."

"Let's go check it out," Sanji agreed before going into noodle mode. "Vivi darling! I'm coming to protect you!"

"Gin!" they both shouted at the same time. "Take my dino back to the ship!" They took off toward the battling giants, leaving the former Krieg pirate with two giant dinosaur corpses.

"Great," Gin moaned. "Pack mule duty. Just what I wanted." He turned in the direction of the ship, taking one horn in his right hand and a tooth in his left. He started his slow journey back to the Merry, dragging both large beasts.

* * *

Coby felt rather than saw the ripples in the air from the start of the giants' battle. His new instincts from his Devil Fruit were screaming at him to run in terror, but if traveling with the Straw Hats had taught him anything it's that, if you are lost, go toward the most danger and you'll find everyone. He tried to change back into his human form, but only managed to go back to what he decided to call Dino Mode. Sighing, he decided that it may just be quicker that way and started heading west, getting used to running on all fours.

He felt the ground shake as the giants called their dual a draw (for the 73,466th time). As he fell, his body shrunk and turned human. Apparently it was done adjusting to his new ancient form. Now with the ability to change to each of his three forms if given time to think, Coby switched back to his Dino Mode and tromped off, following the sound of strange laughing.

* * *

"GEYAK-YAK-YAK-YAK!" Dorry the giant laughed, downing barrel after barrel of alcohol from the Merry that he had gotten from Broggy who had gotten it from Nami and Usopp. He, Luffy, Vivi, and Carue where at his campsite where he'd lived for over 100 years now. The Giant stood at nearly 500 feet tall with tanned skin. His red clothing was covered by a spread of either armor or chainmail and a black beard stretched down from his chin to the point where is brushed against the ground. His weapons of choice, a sword and shield, were laying off to the side beside his old helmet.

"So Broggy's guests are friends of yours?" Dorry asked. "I guess that makes sense since we don't get a lot of visitors on this island. They're a man with a long nose and a woman."

"That's Nami and Usopp," Luffy confirmed with a smile.

"Hey, Luffy?" Vivi questioned. "I've been meaning to ask you, but are you and Nami... together?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean like _together_ together."

"Yeah," Luffy answered.

"May I ask how?"

"Yeah." There was silence.

"...Well?"

"Well what?"

"How did you get together?" Vivi asked with some annoyance in her tone.

"Oh. This fishman bastard named Arlong was holding her village hostage and forcing her to be his navigator, so I jumped in and kicked his fishy, blue ass. She kissed me after the battle and I kissed her back."

"That's so romantic," Vivi gushed. That's when an explosion ruined their talk. The alcohol Dorry was drinking blew up inside his stomach, brutally wounding him.

"Dorry!" Luffy and Vivi yelled. They and Carue ran over to the injured giant. He was breathing heavily, blood flowing from his mouth.

"Are you ok?" Vivi asked.

"Who did that?!" Luffy raged. "I'll kick their ass!" The volcano erupted before they could say more, signaling the beginning of another dual.

One that Dorry was too injured to win.

 **End of Chapter 22**

* * *

 **Yes, that just happened. I've decided to call the Devil Fruit that Coby ate the Ancient Zoan: Model Triceratops since I couldn't find any reference to someone using that fruit in Canon. Tell me what you think!**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	23. Wax and Paint

**Mature Language ahead! You have been warned.**

* * *

 **Chapter 23:**

 **Wax and Paint**

 _Recap: Coby accidentally ate a Devil Fruit, the Ancient Zoan: Model Triceratops, and Dorry was injured by an explosion from the alcohol he was drinking. The volcano erupted, indicating the start of a new duel. One Dorry was far too injured to win._

* * *

"Man this sucks," Gin complained, dragging the dinosaurs Zoro and Sanji had dumped on him. He was halfway back to the ship and painting from the exertion. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a figure that was leaning against a tree. "What the? Zoro? I thought you ran off with Sanji, though knowing your sense of direction..." He drew closer and immediately noticed something was wrong. "Oh shi-!"

BOOM!

* * *

"AHHH!" Usopp and Nami screamed in unison. They were being chased by a giant saber-toothed tiger through the jungle. They kept running, Usopp firing various pellets at the monstrous feline in a vain attempt to dissuade it. Nami tripped over a branch just as Usopp fired an Exploding Star. The ancient cat bounded over the fallen female toward its true aggregator. Usopp ran off, the tiger following. Her intuition telling her that Usopp would be fine, probably, Nami snuck away in case that cat decided to return. To her right, she spotted a familiar straw hat.

"Luffy!" she called happily, jogging over to the figure. "What are you doing over here? Where's Vivi?" There was no answer. "Luffy?"

"Kyahahaha!"

"AHHH!"

* * *

"Would you look at that?" Zoro muttered. "The Crap Cook went and got himself lost." He caught a glance of orange or of the corner of his eye and looked to his left. "Nami? What are you doing out here? Luffy'd be worried." She didn't move. "Nami?"

BOOM!

* * *

"Don't go, Old Giant Guy," Luffy insisted. Despite his protests, Dorry was forcing himself onto his feet.

"Please," Vivi begged. "You're in no condition to fight."

"Elbaf has made his decision," Dorry said sadly. "I did not have the protection of our god of war. Such will be the end of our duel, but I will die an honorable death. You cannot stop me." Just to be sure, Dorry lifted part of the hole-filled mountain behind him and dropped it on Luffy. The pirate had mentioned that he had a Devil Fruit power that meant he couldn't get crushed earlier, so Dorry was not worried about him dying. The giant ran off to fight what he believed to be his last duel. The two giants met on their battlefield while Luffy struggled to pull himself free. The giants fought wildly, but it was obvious who had the advantage.

"Luffy!" Usopp yelled, running into the campsite. "I have terrible news! I think Nami was eaten by a dinosaur!"

"What?!" Luffy demanded, his mind instantly taken off of the gargantuan fight taking place and onto his girlfriend's well-being. "What happened?!"

"We were running from a dinosaur and she was there one second and then I turned around and she was gone!"

"Now, now," Vivi tried to reason. "She may have just gotten lost. We aren't sure she was eaten. I think she might have been kidnapped, though."

"Kidnapped?" Usopp questioned.

"Yeah," Vivi answered. "That alcohol Broggy gave Dorry exploded in his stomach. We didn't do it and I don't think Broggy did it, so there must be someone else on the island. It's most likely Baroque Works after us." There was slow clapping. The three humans and one oversized duck turned to see the Mr. 5 pair walking out of the jungle, the male of the two doing the clapping.

"Very impressive, Ms. Wednesday," Mr. 5 complemented. "Too bad that just because you know how something happened doesn't mean you can do anything about it."

"You bastard!" Luffy raged. "Where's Nami?!"

"Don't worry," Ms. Valentine giggled. "Your little girlfriend is alive. For now anyway."

"You!" Vivi growled. She, Carue, and Usopp attacked, but the sniper was sorely lacking in information. He tried to attack Mr. 5 with an Exploding Star. Much like she had in Whisky Peak, Ms. Valentine rode the explosion into the air before falling on the long-nosed teen. Meanwhile, the princess and the duck attacked the male. Vivi had pulled out her unconventional weapons, but Mr. 5 seemed only slightly amused. "Peacock Slasher!"

"It's always funny watching you fight, Ms. Wednesday," the bomb-man chuckled, flicking a booger that brought Carue down. When the blunette was within range, he stepped to the side, causing his foot to blow up and throw her off balance. He caught the royal female by the neck. "Don't worry. We don't intend to kill you. Yet."

He would have said more, but a dinosaur wearing clothes charged out of the forest and trampled him. The dino, a triceratops, had tried to skewer his head with one of its horns, but the man had shifted out of the way just enough that the sharpened bone only destroyed his right ear before he could use his powers.

"Holy FUCK!" the agent swore, covering his mangled ear. "What the Hell was that?!" The dinosaur closed its eyes and began to shrink. Several second later it was revealed to be Coby. The boy stood over the princess protectively.

"That was so cool!" Luffy yelled from his trapped position. "I didn't know you had a Devil Fruit, Coby!"

"I didn't," the boy told his captain. "At least, not before coming to this island." In the distance, Dorry went down in a spray of red, his fight lost.

"You little fucker!" Mr. 5 yelled. "You destroyed my ear!"

"I know. I missed your ugly face." Mr. 5 threw caution to the wind and charged the young swordsman, using explosions from his feet to increase his speed. Coby waited until the last possible second before changing into Dino Mode. His horns grew out, causing Mr. 5 to explode against his plated face and retreat, the man's new fear of horns strong and Coby's glasses broken beyond repair by the force.

"Don't worry, Princess," Coby said while still a dinosaur, his eyesight better than in his human form. "I will protect you to the best of my abilities. He shrunk again, this time into his Hybrid Mode, and unsheathed his swords. "Now let's see what I can do with this."

Unfortunately, he wasn't able to test his abilities at that moment. A woman with a mass of 10,000 kilograms (and therefore a weight of 98,100 Newtons or 22054 lbs.) crashed on top of him, pinning him inside of a crater. With him out of the way, Mr. 5 ran in again and snatched the princess and Ms. Valentine (who now had a mass of only one kilogram and a weight of 9.81 Newtons (2.21 lbs.)) and dashed off.

"Dammit," Coby growled, pulling himself from the earth. The princess was gone, Carue and Usopp were unconscious, and Luffy was still stuck under the mountain. He decided that he would need to deal with his screaming captain before anything else. By shifting into Dino Mode, Coby wedged one horn under the mountain and pulled up just enough for Luffy's rubber body to wiggle out.

"Thanks, Coby," Luffy said. "Now let's go kick their asses!"

"Hold on, Captain Luffy," Coby suggested. "Let's wake up Usopp and Carue first."

"No need," Usopp moaned, clawing himself out of the crater Ms. Valentine had left him in. Blood was running down his face from some aberrations hidden by his hair and bruises covered his visible skin, but the sniper looked more angry than hurt. Carue quacked the signal that he was alive as well, burns littering his body from the explosion he'd been in.

"I think I can track them by scent," Coby announced, sniffing the ground. "Mr. 5 smells like fire and gunpowder."

"Wait?" Usopp questioned. "Coby? What happened to you?"

"Ate a Devil Fruit on accident."

"Oh... Congrats?"

"Alright!" Luffy cheered. _"Now_ we're ready to go kick their asses!"

* * *

"How very kind off all of you for coming," Mr. 3 said to his, literally, captive audience. Vivi, Zoro, Gin, and Nami were all stuck on the wax man's Giant Candle Set like candles on a birthday cake, a large, pumpkin-like protrution at the top topped with candles of its own. Broggy was off to the side, held down by his own wax bindings. Behind the wax man stood the Mr. 5 pair (the male with his right ear patched) and his partner, Ms. Goldenweek.

Mr. 3 was a tall, thin man of about 30 years old with black hair stylized into a "3" shape. He was dressed in a blue and white striped button-up shirt with a red bow tie and khakis. A pair of glasses rested on his nose and the top of his hair burned like a candlewick. His partner was a short redhead with her hair in twin braids and big black eyes. She appeared to be around 13 in age and was dressed in a light, cloud-print jacket over a navy blue shirt. She also wore a red skirt hidden from the front by a painter's smock with the top half folded down, said smock covered in paint stains of all colors and sizes. A pink cowboy hat sat on her head and two blush-like ovals donned her cheeks. A painter's palette rested in her left hand, a paintbrush in her right. Completing her outfit were blue and white striped socks and pink tennis shoes. She was standing very close to Ms. Valentine.

"Big Sister," she muttered, grabbing the hem if Ms. Valentine's dress as her partner rambled on about turning the four pirates and one giant into statues, "he's doing it again."

"I know you don't like it," the blonde responded, placing a hand on the shorter girl's hat and showing a soft side none of the pirates had seen before, "but we have to bear with it. Where would we go if we left Baroque Works?"

"I still don't like it when he kills people."

"The plan is almost done," Ms. Valentine insisted. "Once we've created the perfect country, we won't have to kill anymore." Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you want to look at it, Vivi had good ears and had heard everything they'd just said.

"It's a lie!" she screamed, cutting off Mr. 3. "All those promises the boss made are lies! He doesn't want to make the ideal nation! He just wants to rule!"

"Silence!" Mr. 3 ordered. "Of course you would say that, trying to protect your kingdom and all, but we need it more than your corrupt society does. Now let the show begin!" The large wax pumpkin on top of the candle started spinning, slowly at first before gaining speed. Tiny flakes of wax drifted down like snow over the captives. In response, Zoro pulled out Wado Ichimonji and tried to cut the wax. When that didn't work, he struck a pose.

"What the Hell are you doing?!" Nami yelled at him.

"If I'm going to die and be turned into a statue, this is the pose I want to be in. You should get in one, too. Unless you want to die just standing up."

"I feel like Don Luffy is coming," Gin commented, "but I see your point." He got out his tonfa and fell into his fighting stance. "This will be my pose."

"You're both morons!" the girls shouted in sync. They bickered with the boys for a couple minutes, confusing the agents, before something happened. Luffy, riding a clothed triceratops, and Usopp, riding Carue the duck, charged out of the trees.

"They've got Zoro-sensei and Gin as well!" the dinosaur yelled in Coby's voice.

"Nami!" Luffy shouted. He rocketed off the three-horned creature, but Mr. 3 threw up a wall of wax that halted him. Luffy's arms snapped up and he flipped over the wall, both of his legs ready to come down on the wax man. In response, Mr. 3 turned himself into his element, leaving Luffy's legs to go through him and come out locked together in a candle.

Using his battle ingenuity, Luffy wrapped himself around one of the horns on Broggy's helmet before spinning free, gaining momentum. He hit Mr. 3 at one point when wax-man tried to halt the rubber-man, but Luffy was already moving too fast for him to stop and launched him into the forest. Luffy's trapped legs slammed into the pillar holding the wax pumpkin which snapped in half and fell with a cry of "Gum-Gum Mallet!". Thinking it was over, Luffy glanced at his companions before the wax-man could come back. Usopp and Carue had run off into the jungle with Mr. 5 and Ms. Valentine hot on their heels and were circling through the clearing every few minutes, but Coby was having the weirdest fight of the four of them.

"Please don't make me hurt you," Coby begged. He was in his Hybrid Mode and facing down the female painter who had introduced herself as Ms. Goldenweek.

"Then don't," she responded nonchalantly. She laid out a blanket and started pouring tea. A bundle of rice crackers sat on the basket she put next to her, so she took one and started nibbling on it.

"You're not going to fight?" Coby asked, inching closer to the redhead.

"I can't let you all stop the wax," she hinted with a shrug, "but if one pirate is all I can handle..."

"Huh," Coby grunted. "Why aren't you fighting?"

"I never did like Mr. 3 turning people into statues. He makes me paint them so they're lifelike, but they freak me out." She shivered. "Plus work is boring. I'd rather paint than fight. Is that what you actually look like?"

"Well, no," Coby responded. "I ate an Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit and this is my Hybrid Mode."

"What do you really look like?" Coby closed his eyes and changed back, his height shortening that extra two inches and his eyesight going blurry. He sat down on the blanket and squinted to see the rice crackers. He reached out hesitantly, but it took him a few tries to grab one.

"Your eyes suck, don't they?"

"Yeah. I had some glasses, but they got blown up by that bomb guy."

"I've heard that some Zoan types are able to only change parts of their bodies at a time. Maybe you could do the same with just your eyes."

"Maybe I could," he agreed before frowning. "Why would you give me that suggestion?"

"Colors Trap!" Ms. Goldenweek suddenly declared, whipping her pallet out and mixing two colors. "Befriending Yellowish-Green!" She painted a weird symbol on Coby's shirt that caused him to instantly relax. The sounds of fighting erupted behind Coby as Mr. 3 returned to prevent Luffy from saving their friends. The wax-man would have yelled at Ms. Goldenweek to help him, but when he saw the green on the boy's clothing, he knew she would be unable to help.

"What was that for?" Coby asked in a pleasant tone. "I liked this shirt."

"Sorry about that," the girl apologized, sitting back down. "I really don't want to fight your captain since I honestly want him to stop the Giant Candle Set, so I used my paint on you. Mr. 3 thinks I can only manipulate one person at a time."

"This is some good tea," Coby complemented, drinking from a cup Ms. Goldenweek had poured for him. "How do you manipulate people?"

"Painting has run in my Daddy's side of the family since paint was invented. Through the generations, my ancestors developed the ability to alter emotions through paint and a certain symbol. That's what I did to you. I make all of my own paint and mix in certain chemicals that react in your body to cause different reactions. That's why I use the symbol, it keeps the amounts of chemicals consistent."

"Neat. So is there a reaction for all of the colors?"

"Yeah, but Daddy wasn't able to teach me all of them before he and Mommy died."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up sad memories."

"It was a while ago, but that's why Big Sister and I joined Baroque Works."

"You have a sister?" Coby asked, taking another cracker despite realizing that he should try to help his crewmates escape. "What's going on behind me?"

"Your captain just broke through one of Mr. 3's Wax Walls. I think your friends will be saved soon. Mr. 3 seems pretty dizzy." Just as she spoke, Luffy ran forward and brought his feet down in a double Gum-Gum Battle Ax. One foot hit between Vivi and Zoro while the other landed between Gin and Nami. The wax cracked, but not enough for the partially-petrified pirates to escape. It was a start, though.

"You know," Ms. Goldenweek said. "I've been thinking about leaving Baroque Works for a while now. I mean, yeah, they took us in when Big Sister and I needed a place to go, but... I'm not sure I like what they're fighting for. Is what Ms. Wednesday said about the boss's promise being a lie true?"

"I'm afraid so," Coby answered honestly. Ms. Goldenweek knew he believed what he said since no one could lie while under the influence of her yellowish-green paint. "Princess Vivi explained it to us on the way here. Your boss wants to take over Alabasta so he can rule it himself. He actually started the civil war going on there right now."

"That's not nice," Ms. Goldenweek responded. "Guess I'm going rouge. What to save your friends?"

"Please." Ms. Goldenweek painted a red line through the symbol on Coby's shirt, negating its effects. Coby stood, transforming into his Dino Mode as he did. He charged the gargantuan candle which was still cracked from when Luffy had hit it. The boy rammed the Giant Candle Set with all the speed he could, the force enough to the cause the cracks to widen and the area holding the four captives to crumble. The four, who were about three-fourths covered in wax, tumbled to the ground. Their waxy coverings mostly shattered upon landing.

Vivi, Zoro, Gin, and Nami were free, but the battle was not over yet.

 **End of Chapter 23**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	24. The Sisters Rebel

**So you all should be able to guess who the newest crewmembers are from the chapter name below, but I will warn you all that this chapter feels like a lot of necessary filler and dialogue that is boring but mandatory for the plot continuation. Ms. Goldenweek's name comes from _Luffy's Renewed Adventure_ and Ms. Valentine's comes from her 4kids voice actor. (I know, I know. 4kids sucks and all that, but I liked it. The name, that is.) The story will begin a divergence from Canon next chapter leading to a slightly different Drum Arc that kind of ripples into Alabasta, so bear with me. **

**Also, I have backstory for the sisters, but that doesn't come up until after Drum, so please don't ask about that.**

 **On the bright side, I have a boatload of chapters already prepared, so _freaking_ _college_ shouldn't slow me down too much. If we get to Enies Lobby and I still don't have Thriller Bark done, then I'll panic.**

* * *

 **Chapter 24:**

 **The Sisters Rebel**

"God dammit," Sanji groaned. "I'm lost." He and Zoro had gotten separated at some point in their mad dash to where they thought the fight was, but because there were no trails, the chef had gotten all turned around. He came upon a small clearing, a low, white structure sitting in the middle. The cook cautiously approached and knocked on the door. There was no response.

Shrugging, Sanji opened the door and waltzed in. The building had a homey air about it, a table in the middle supporting a pot of tea and several teacups. Never one to let food or drink go to waste, the blond reheated the drink and poured his own cup.

"Mmmm," he moaned. "Earl Gray. Whoever owns this place has good taste." He sat there for several minutes, sipping his tea, before a faint "BADA-BADA-BADUP ... BADA-BADA-BADUP" reached his ears. He opened a purple box to find a matching purple den-den mushi with a black mustache. Sanji picked up the receiver, causing the snail to go "ca-lick".

"Uh... You've called the Crap Café. May I take your order?"

"This is no time for fooling around," a gruff voice growled on the other end of the line. "Your report is late, Mr. 3. You're usually very prompt. Is there a problem?"

"No sir," Sanji responded, playing along. "Uh, may I ask who this is?"

"Do you think this is funny? This is Mr. 0, you numbskull. Now what is your situation? Are Princes Vivi and all of the Straw Hat Pirates dead?"

"Yes sir. Very dead. Very, very dead. They put up one Hell of a fight, though. Especially their cook."

"Whatever. I've sent the Unluckies to your location with an eternal pose to Alabasta. Be sure to get here on time. We'll be beginning the next phase of the plan."

"Yes sir," Sanji replied. There was a small flutter that drew the chef's attention to the window. There were two animals, a vulture with aviator goggles and an otter in a pink onesie. The three mammals stared at each other in confusion for a second before the bird knelt down to reveal the gun strapped to its back.

"Oh shi-!" Sanji ducked behind the table as the bird open fired. Bullets riddled the walls and the table, but the furniture must have been made of some strong stuff because none of the projectiles fully pierced them. The otter dashed forward, two half shells with three blades each in its paws. Sanji was able to avoid its first strike and counter with a kick to the face. The rodent hit the far wall with a thud, blood dripping from a wound on its head. It'd have a concussion if it wasn't dead.

The vulture continued trying to shoot the cook, but Sanji sprinted across the room and flipped onto his hands before locking his legs around the bird's long neck. With a sharp twist, the bird would never fly again.

"What the Hell was that?!" Mr. 0 yelled through the den-den. Sanji picked up the receiver from where it was dangling over the side of the table.

"Nothing!" he said quickly. "Just a couple of the pirate bastards weren't as dead as I thought they were. I've taken care of it. No need to send any help."

"Right... Just don't screw it up." Sanji was about to hang up, but Mr. 0 spoke again. "Oh, and Mr. 3? Do something about that cold of yours. It's making you sound like a brat trying to hide a North Blue accent." The snail went to sleep with a soft "ca-cha". Sanji pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a long drag on it to ease his nerves.

"Glad that's over. Bet I could cook these two up and the idiots would love it. Hmm? What's this?" He knelt down to pick up a small item the weird otter had dropped. He then did his noodle dance. "With this, I'll get a kiss from Vivi-cwan for sure!"

* * *

"Oh thank God!" Nami yelled, all but kissing the wax-covered ground. Vivi seemed to be in a similar state of euphoria. Though happy at being freed, Zoro and Gin were still a little ticked that their posing had been for naught. They'd looked badass, dammit!

At that moment, Carue ran through with Usopp on his back. Mr. 5 and Ms. Valentine followed, pretty winded from chasing them so much. Gin and Zoro ran toward them, ready to get revenge for being captured. The female hopped into the air, floating out of their reach. That was fine, though; she wasn't their target. Meanwhile, the girls, Usopp, and Carue went to Broggy to try to free him from the wax.

"You really think you can best me?" Mr. 5 asked Zoro and Gin while picking his nose. "With my Bomb-Bomb Fruit powers, you'll never even scratch me."

"Then what happened to your ear?" Zoro taunted. He went for a slash, but the agent was able to deflect his swords with an explosion.

"I was caught off guard then," he defended. Gin came in from the side, but Mr. 5 was able to duck out of the way of his tonfa. The two continued their assault, tiring the agent. Something seemed wrong. He'd hadn't needed to dodge for this long since Ms. Valentine had become his partner. Where was she?

The answer to that question was that she had been called two dozen feet away and was talking with her little sister about her choice to abandon the company. Ms. Valentine was arguing that they should stay, but both her determination and her belief that they would make it out alive even if their mission was a success were crumbling.

"Big Sister," Ms. Goldenweek pleaded. "I know you feel indebted to the company. I did, too, but we both know that after you and Mr. 5 failed to stop them at Whisky Peak that you were on Mr. 0's list. This catastrophe is only making that more likely. Let's just leave."

"But where would we go?" Ms. Valentine questioned. "We don't have a ship or any real skill at navigating. We certainly can't stay here."

"I was kind of hoping we could go with these pirates," Ms. Goldenweek answered shyly.

"What?! Why?!"

"I don't know. They seem nice enough, though I've only talked to one of them."

"There's no way for me to talk you out of this, is there?"

"Nope."

"Ugh. Fine," the Devil Fruit user relented. "If you're leaving, I'm going with you. I've got to keep my little sister safe, don't I?" She activated her powers, floating over to where the swordsman, former Krieg pirate, and bomb-man were still fighting. The former two were littered with small burns, but were otherwise fine. "10,000 Kilo Press!"

The floating woman dropped rapidly. Mr. 5 never saw the attack coming. He'd been expecting her to be aiming for either the man with the tonfa or Roranoa Zoro. Her target was neither. She landed on him like 10,000 kilograms of bricks, instantly knocking him unconscious.

"Well," Zoro began, his swords still prepped for battle. "Either your aim is crap or you just switched sides."

"I take great pride in my aim, thank you very much."

"I suppose this means you want to leave Baroque Works?" Gin questioned.

"To be more accurate, my little sister is leaving and wants to join you. I'm just tagging along to protect her."

"Good for you, I guess." Gin and Zoro shrugged.

* * *

"Gum-Gum Pistol!" Luffy's arm shot out, but Mr. 3 changed into wax to prevent damage. "Just stay solid, Wax Guy!"

"My codename is Mr. 3!" the agent yelled. "Wax Harpoon!" Luffy twisted out of the way of the attack, leaving the harpoon to embed itself in a tree behind him.

"Gum-Gum Gatling!" A multitude of rubbery fists converged on Mr. 3, but the wax-man threw up a sphere of wax that caught the attack.

"It's no use," he taunted. "Your strength cannot best my intellect."

"Then what if we add my strength to that?" Mr. 3 was nearly trampled by Coby in Dino Mode, only his ability to turn into wax saving him from broken bones. "For all your talk of intellect, you're really just a one-trick pony, aren't you?"

"Fine then! I'll show you my greatest attack!" The man covered himself in wax before molding it into a large suit of armor that covered all but his head. Spikes protruded from the shoulder plates and boxing gloves of wax made up the hands. "Behold! My Champion Armor! Ms. Goldenweek, please color it for me."

"Can I take a break afterward?" the girl asked.

"Yes, I suppose." Mr. 3 allowed the redhead to climb up, unaware of her true purpose.

"Colors Trap," she declared, "Sadness Blue." She painted the symbol on Mr. 3's face, the only open area. The effect was immediate. A look of utter despair came over his features and he curled up on the floor, still in his armor. Ms. Goldenweek hopped off him and walked over to Luffy and Coby.

"Hello," she greeted the captain with a rice cracker in hand. "My name is Grace, Grace Marigold."

"Hi. I'm Monkey D. Luffy."

"And I'm Coby."

"Captain Luffy," Grace continued. "I've chosen to leave Baroque Works because I believe what Ms. Wedn- err, Princess Vivi said about the boss's promises being lies. Can I join your crew?"

"You want to be a pirate?" Luffy asked.

"I don't have much of a choice. I can't say on this island."

"Do you have a dream to chase?"

"I want to become a painter. One so famous that even the Marines acknowledge my ability."

"I like you," Luffy smiled. "You're welcome aboard."

"I won't go unless you let my sister on, too."

"Who's your sister?"

"That would be me," Ms. Valentine answered, stepping into the conversation with Zoro and Gin, her parasol out. "I'm Amy Palant, Grace's adopted older sister."

"She knocked Mr. 5 unconscious, Don Luffy," Gin informed him. "I think we can trust her."

"So what's your dream?" Luffy asked the blonde.

"My what?"

"Your dream. What do you want to do with your life?"

"I've always wanted to follow in my parents' footsteps and become a chocolatier, but right now, I just want to keep my little sister safe."

"What's a chocolatier?" Coby questioned.

"It's someone who makes chocolate for a living."

"So you make chocolate?" Luffy asked excitedly. Amy nodded. "Join my crew!"

There was an explosion of fire that melted the still-spinning Giant Candle Set. Broggy, now free, stood up and stretched himself. He thanked the Straw Hats before they heard Dorry groan.

"He's alive?!" they all gasped. Dorry sat up, blood oozing out of the slash across his body.

"Old Giant Guy!" Luffy cheered. "You're not dead!"

"The weapons," he explained. "They saved me. They've grown dull from our hundred years of fighting." At that moment, Broggy broke down into happy tears and mindless babble. No one could blame him, though. He hadn't killed his best friend after all.

* * *

They were celebrating when Sanji walked into the clearing, a smoking cigarette in his mouth. His presence put the giants on guard since they did not know him. The crew's reactions were mixed.

"Sanji!" Luffy called out happily. "There you are!"

"Where were you during the fight, Mr. Oh-I'm-so-tough-I'll-go-kill-a-dinosaur?" Usopp questioned angrily.

"What went wrong, swirly-eyed bastard?" Zoro taunted. "Get lost?"

"Thanks for nothing!" Nami and Vivi yelled. Gin, Coby, Grace, and Amy stayed silent.

"What did I miss?" the blonde chef asked in confusion.

"There was a big fight," Coby answered. "We won and gained two new crewmembers. This is Grace and her sister Amy." Sanji became a noodle.

"Our crew becomes more bearable with every beautiful woman we add!" He quickly became a gentleman. "Pleased to make your acquaintance. I am the ship's chef, Sanji." He knelt down and kissed Amy's hand before doing the same to Grace.

"Be careful," Coby warned the new girls. "He's a pervert."

The effect was immediate. Sanji looked as if someone had shot him in the heart with an arrow. He bent over, seemingly ready to die from the blunt but true statement.

"Sanji, right?" Amy asked with a sickly-sweet smile, drawing his attention to her. Her voice mirrored her faux-sweetness. "If you peek at, flirt with, or even look at my sister in _that_ way, I will pin you down, sit on your balls, and use my Devil Fruit powers to slowly increase my mass to 10,000 kilograms. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Sanji yelped, paling at the threat to his manhood and family jewels.

"I like this girl," Gin murmured to Zoro.

"Of course you would, you sadistic bastard," Zoro muttered back.

"Hey, giants?" Nami questioned. "How long does it take the log pose to set on this island?"

"One full year," Dorry answered.

"We can't wait here for a year!" Vivi shouted. "By then my country could be gone!"

"Then is it a good thing I found this?" Sanji spoke up, holding up an eternal pose to Alabasta.

"Where did you get that?!"

"Well you all didn't let me explain where I was. Yes, I got lost after the giants stopped fighting, so I wandered around the jungle until I found this building. I think it was made of wax."

"That would be the base Mr. 3 made," Grace commented.

"While I was there, a den-den started ringing, so I picked it up and talked to this Mr. 0 guy."

"You talked to Mr. 0?!" Grace, Amy, and Vivi yelled in shock.

"Yeah. He thought I was this Mr. 3 guy, so I told him that we were dead. He seemed to believe me. Then these two weird animals, an otter and a vulture, showed up and tried to kill me. I won, of course, but the otter dropped this."

"You beat the Unluckies?!" the three former Baroque Works agents yelled, again.

"That means we can leave, right?" Gin said.

"Yes," Nami answered. "Personally, I want to get off of this God-forsaken island as soon as possible."

"I agree," Vivi said. "We need to get to Alabasta."

"Then let's get ready!" Luffy yelled. "Uh, does anyone know the way to the Merry?"

 **End of Chapter 24**

* * *

 **Like I said, a lot of dialogue. again, sorry about that. there will be a little more action next chapter.**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	25. Wapol the Tyrant

**Chapter 25:**

 **Leaving Little Garden, Wapol the Tyrant**

The Going Merry had been stocked with all the dinosaur meat that could be shoved into the hold. It had taken longer than expected; Zoro and Sanji had restarted their previous argument about whose catch was bigger, but in the end, Nami had scared/charmed them into submission. Coby had also suggested that they bring along the horns from Zoro's triceratops and the teeth from Sanji's dinosaur to sell if they ever needed some extra money. According to both him and Vivi, ivory could fetch a high price of sold to the right bidder.

Grace and Amy had moved into the woman's quarters with Nami and Vivi, both of whom did not fully trust them yet. Nami ended up writing out a sleep schedule for the two of them to keep an eye on the sisters at night. _Especially_ Amy.

Coby had gone through with Grace's suggestion and worked on only altering his eyes. It was not easy, but by pushing himself like he had learned to from Zoro, Coby was able to do it. There had been quite a few mishaps with the wrong things changing (that was a story for another time) and his eyes still shifted every now and then, but for all intents and purposes he no longer needed glasses, even if he now had slitted pupils. He'd also taken to wearing a pair of sandals he'd gotten from Luffy after the loss of his tennis shoes during his initial transformation.

Finally, they were ready to depart, though it would have been two hours earlier had Luffy not insisted they eat all the meat they couldn't store on the ship. Either way, they were ready. The Merry slowly made its way down the river until it came to the mouth and gave way to the ocean. The giants were standing there, one on each side.

"Remember," Dorry began from the left. "There is an obstacle standing in your way of getting to the next island."

"We will take care of it," Broggy insisted on the right. "Just keep going straight, no matter what."

"You guys heard him," Luffy said. "Set sail!"

The obstacle turned out to be a giant, red goldfish known as the Island Eater. The fish had come up, eaten them, and promptly been shredded by the combined efforts of Dorry and Broggy at the expense of their aged weapons. They continued on their path, full speed ahead.

* * *

It had been two days since the Straw Hat Pirates had left Little Garden. Grace and Amy were slowly gaining the trust of the crew, with a few exceptions. Sanji and Luffy had instantly taken a liking to both of them, Luffy because he trusted easily and Sanji because of obvious, gender-related reasons. Zoro and Gin seemed to trust Amy more than Grace, the former because she had helped them by knocking Mr. 5 unconscious in their battle and the latter for their similar sadistic natures. Vivi was adamantly against Amy, likely because Mr. 5 had killed both Mr. 9 and Ms. Monday back in Whisky Peak, but the princess had nothing against Grace. Nami and Usopp were still questioning their motives, but Usopp was coming around (Grace had asked about what chemicals he used in his attacks to try to come up with some new ones of her own and the two had gotten into a long-winded chemistry discussion). Naturally, Coby had welcomed Grace with open arms, him having been the reason she decided to defect right then and join them. He'd tried to open up to Amy, too, but the blonde had brushed him off with a cold shoulder.

It was a beautiful day, fine flakes of snow drifting down onto the deck of the ship building into a blanket of white powder. Despite the suddenly cold temperatures, Zoro, Gin, and Coby were working out shirtless, Zoro lifting weights that no normal person would be able to.

Grace and Amy were in the kitchen, Sanji doting on them and the window in the door giving them an unobstructed view of the men. Amy was openly oogling them, more so Gin and Zoro in that order (Coby was too young for her and she didn't like him for as-of-yet unspecified reasons). Grace was only taking glances at the youngest of the three when she thought no one was looking, her face growing redder by the minute.

Unfortunately, it seemed her blush was not due to what she was seeing because, when Grace went to stand, she collapsed. The girl had a high fever and her breathing was labored. Sweat shone on her brow, dripping down her face and onto the floor. There was no doubt about it; the painter was sick. Luffy and Usopp soon found Carue below deck, quacking in pain and exhibiting the same symptoms.

The crew (sans Gin, who was directing the ship since he didn't trust Zoro's sense of direction, and Usopp, who was in the crow's nest) were with the two in the women's quarters. Cold washcloths sat on each of their heads. Both Grace and Carue were moaning in pain, fading in and out of consciousness. The others were arguing about what to do.

"Just feed them a lot of meat," Luffy tried to reason.

"Meat is protein," Sanji acknowledged, "but they aren't sick because of lack of nutrients. I put far more care into the girls' meals than you morons'.

"It must be an infection," Vivi deduced, trying to be heard over the male members' outcries at the chef. "That's the only explanation I can think of. We need to find a doctor."

They continued to debate on what to do until a doctor could be found. Their argument halted when the ship suddenly turned to the right, throwing them all to the floor.

"What is Gin doing out there?!" Nami shouted.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Coby muttered. Amy and Sanji stayed behind while Coby, Luffy, Nami, and Zoro rushed to the rudder to find their acting helmsman on the ground, his face red and his breathing ragged.

"Not you, too," Nami whined.

"You could show a little more concern, you know," Zoro chastised.

"It must have been something from Little Garden," Coby muttered worriedly. "We need to find a doctor. _Now."_

"On the bright side," Vivi commented, "infections aren't contagious, so we don't have to worry about getting sick as well."

"Zoro," Nami ordered. "Move Gin into the guys' room and get him a washcloth."

"No," Gin moaned, trying to stand. "I'm fine. It's nothing serious. I'll be better in a couple hours."

"We're not taking any chances," Zoro told him, literally picking Gin up and throwing him over his shoulder. As the swordsman walked off with his sick friend, they heard Usopp call from the crow's nest.

"There's someone standing on the water! 40 degrees port side!" He was right. There, where he had specified, was a man dressed like a clown from a circus. A bow and a quiver of arrows rested over his shoulders and his mouth looked like a zig-zag line.

"Hello," he chattered. "Quite cold, isn't it?"

"Uh, yeah," Luffy blinked. There was an awkward silence before the man tapped his foot, causing a clanking sound. The submarine he was standing on rose out of the ocean and raised a pirate flag. Men poured from inside and boarded the Going Merry, pointing their guns at the Straw Hats who did not move. The ruckus drew the attention of Zoro and Sanji, who came out from their respective places.

"What's going on out here?" Sanji asked, lighting a cigarette without worry of the sword in his face.

"We've been boarded," Luffy responded unnecessarily.

"You call yourselves pirates?" a large man laughed. He was as wide as Coby was tall and his jaw seemed to be plated in iron. He wore an embroidered purple cape that made him look like a king and the way he talked down on them only solidified this. He held a sword, but it looked like it was more for show rather than battle because he was eating a piece of meat off of it. "Well, it doesn't matter. Do you happen to have an eternal pose to Drum Kingdom?"

"Never heard of it," Luffy replied, heedless to the weapons in his face. "Could we do this some other time? We're kind of in a hurry."

"Well," the fat man said, taking all of the meat and most of the sword into his mouth with one bite, "if you don't have a pose to Drum Kingdom, we'll just settle for all of your treasure." He threw the handle of the sword into his mouth and ate that too.

"Hell no!" Nami yelled. "You aren't going to go anywhere near my treasure!"

"If you won't give it to us, we'll have to take it by force."

"C-C-Can't we j-just talk about this l-like c-civilized people?" Usopp stuttered, a gun so close to his face that it was bending his nose.

"I guess," the man sighed. "Man am I hungry." His mouth opened up to an impossible length and he bit into the railing of the Going Merry, much to the shock of the crew on deck. The man then tore that bit of the ship off and swallowed it whole.

"Don't eat our ship!" Luffy yelled angrily. Two men moved to try to hold the captain back.

"And who's going to stop me?" The man took another bite out of the railing, pushing Luffy's anger over the edge. The captain punched the men holding him before charging at the bastard that had decided to eat the Merry.

"I guess it was inevitable," Sanji sighed. His legs shot out, throwing way his opponents before they could react.

"Shrimp!" Zoro called, pulling out Kitetsu III and Yubashiri. "Scare tactics!"

"Yes, Zoro-sensei!" Coby called back. "Hybrid Mode!" The boy's form shifted, his forehead elongating and spouting three horns, his skin turning into dull green scales, and a tail forming. He stood in his Hybrid Mode, the Sabaku no Kiba blades out and ready. Several men panicked at the sight of what Coby had become. One even tried to shoot him in the head, but it only bounced off the crest his forehead had become.

"Do you want to play that game with me?" Coby growled. The men fled.

Usopp ducked just in time for all of the men pointing weapons at him to fire at each other. When he realized that they were all on the deck injured, he started ranting about the greatness of Captain Usopp.

Nami had pulled out her bo and was whacking away, sometimes playing the defenseless damsel card to get the better of whoever came after her.

Luffy tried to charge straight for the man whose crew had boarded his ship, but said crew was trying to get in the way. The captain was beating them away with Gum-Gum Pistols, Whips, and Gatlings, building a wake of unconscious enemies behind him. Luffy ran at the man, his rubbery arms grabbing the mast as be ran by.

"Gum-Gum-!" he began.

"Giant Chomp!" The man ate Luffy, whose arms were still out and holding on to the mast, and started chewing. "Huh. This guy's really chewy."

"Luffy, no!" Nami shouted.

"Captain Luffy!" Coby yelled in worry.

"BAZOOKA!" they heard Luffy yell from inside the man's mouth. His arms snapped forward and hit the man with enough force to get the Luffy out of the pirate's mouth and send him flying into the horizon.

"King Wapol!" all of his men shouted. They hurried to their ship, worrying about their king and telling the Straw Hats that they would pay for that.

"What did they call him?" Usopp question as the submarine boat faded into the distance. "Waffle or something?"

"Doesn't matter," Nami insisted. "If the map of this part of the Grand Line I stole from Whisky Peak is right, there should be an island just a few kilometers west of here. Usopp, you take the helm. We should be able to reach it by tomorrow, but we'll have to stop for the night."

"Sounds like a plan," Luffy agreed. He went to check on Gin while Coby and Sanji went to see Grace. Zoro, under the direction of Nami, dropped anchor before joining Luffy in the mens' quarters.

* * *

"Land dead ahead!" Coby called from the crow's nest. It was his turn to be on watch, his ability to change his eyes into those of a triceratops increasing his visual prowess tenfold, therefore increasing his eyesight far past that of anyone in the crew. Sure, he had trouble keeping the transformation for hours on end, but he was getting better. Currently, he could keep them changed for an hour and a half without having to rest.

The crew spilled from inside. Luffy and Coby had been the only ones on deck due to the cold weather that had only gotten colder. Vivi had explained that this was because they had to be approaching a winter island, an island that had a cold climate all year round. As a result, everyone had pulled on the winter clothes Kaya had seen fit to stock on the Merry. In the distance was the island, five circular mountains shooting up from into the sky like thick candles.

They sailed into the mouth of a wide river and followed it deeper into the island, looking for civilization as they went. Sanji was inside, caring for both Grace and Carue while Gin did not want a caretaker. Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Amy, Vivi, and Coby were on deck, waiting for something to happen.

And happen it did. Islanders rose up on either side of the ship much like the people of Whisky Peak had, but where those bounty hunters had played nice, these people were outright hostile.

"Zoro," Luffy said. "Drop the anchor." The swordsman did so, careful to make no sudden movements lest the islanders attack. The weight plopped into the freezing water and brought the Merry to a halt. The man who they assumed was the island's leader stepped forward. He was bundled up in a green overcoat and matching pants. Hiking boots were laced onto his feet and a green hat protected his ears from the cold. He gazed at the pirates with eyes filled with contempt, eyes that had seen death at the hands of pirates.

"Leave now," he ordered. "Your kind are not welcome here."

"Please," Nami pleaded. "We're just looking for a doctor. We have three crewmates who are sick. We don't know how long they'll last. One of them is only a little girl."

"Do you think we'll fall for that old trick?" one of the men on the shore yelled angrily. "We aren't stupid!"

"Please," Vivi begged, throwing herself to the deck. "One of those who is sick is my oldest friend. Whatever it is you want, I'll do anything! Just please. We need a doctor."

"Another is my little sister," Amy called, falling to bow as well. "I would do anything for her, but I have no medical experience. Please, help her." There was a pause before Luffy knelt down as well. One by one, the others followed suit until Zoro, being the last and most prideful, dropped too.

"We have only one doctor here," their leader finally sighed. "I'm sorry. You can bring them ashore to my home, but I cannot guarantee their survival."

"It will have to do," Vivi muttered. "Thank you."

 **End of Chapter 25**

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 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	26. The Kingless Kingdom

**Good news, everyone! I'm feeling good and have an announcement to make! I've recently started thinking about Omakes that I could add onto the ends of some chapters, keep the creative juices flowing, you know? So, if any of y'all have an Omake you want to see, drop a review or a PM and I'll see if I can come up with something. Sound good?**

 **The deal this time is 11 Reviews. Is that manageable? I hope so. This a long chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter 26:**

 **The Kingless Kingdom**

The man, who had introduced himself as Dalton, led Amy, Vivi, Luffy carrying Gin, Sanji carrying Carue, and Coby carrying Grace into town. Usopp, Zoro, and Nami had decided to stay on the ship. As they walked, Sanji noticed that Amy kept sending angry looks at Coby every time he shifted his hands to keep Grace supported on his back.

"I'm sorry to inform you of this," Dalton sighed, "but this entire island has only one doctor, and not many people give her that title."

"What do they call her then?" Vivi asked.

"A witch," Dalton answered. "You see, all of the official doctors were forced to leave the island several months ago, leaving only her. She took up residence in the abandoned castle on top of the mountain ahead of us, but no normal person could get there. She comes down when she feels like it, finds some patients, and, when they're healed, takes whatever she wants as payment."

"She sounds like a pirate to me," Luffy stated, shifting an unconscious Gin so he could walk easier. "Where did all the other doctors go?"

"The king banished them so the citizens would be forced to come to him for medical treatment."

"That's tyranny!" Coby cried.

"That was not the worst thing he did. You see, Wapol, the previous king, was the first to flee when the kingdom was besieged by a group of five pirates led by a man who called himself Blackbeard. His leaving left the country destroyed, with no king and no doctors."

"That's horrible!" Vivi exclaimed. "No true king would put himself over his people!"

"Did you say Waffle?" Luffy asked.

"No, Wapol," Coby corrected.

"Yeah, Waffle. That's what I said."

"Nevermind," Coby sighed. They'd arrived at a town that Dalton said was called Big Horn. He invited them to stay at his home and the group of pirates agreed. Dalton lived in a little cottage near the edge of town, the only decoration on the walls being two crossed swords and a shield over his fireplace. The muscular man started a fire to heat the space. Pretty soon, flames roared as they dispersed the cold. Grace was tucked into the only bed while Carue sat by the fire and Gin in a chair (he flat out refused to even acknowledge that he was sick; his pride wouldn't allow it).

"Thank you for letting us stay here," Vivi thanked with a bow.

"It's no problem," Dalton replied. "Although, really. A crew your size and not one person has any medical experience? That's just suicide."

"We thought we'd just pick up a doctor when we found one," Luffy explained, "but the old guy with the giant whale didn't want to come with us."

While confused about who the "old guy with the giant whale" was, Dalton did not question the explanation.

"When will that witch doctor get here?" Luffy asked.

"I don't know," Dalton answered truthfully. "As I said, she comes down when she feels like it."

"That won't do!" Amy yelled. "By that time, my little sister could be dead!"

"Mr. Dalton," Coby said respectively. "You said the doctor lives on top of the mountain, correct?" Dalton nodded. "Then what if we went to her?"

"You can't do that," the native responded. "That mountain is far too steep. And the lapans would rip you apart before you could even get there."

"That's a risk we'll have to take," Luffy said seriously. "Vivi, Amy, please stay here. Coby, Sanji, and I can carry them up the mountain."

"But Luffy-!" Vivi began.

"No buts," Luffy cut her off. "We're going and that's final. Let's go!"

"Yes, Captain Luffy." Coby moved to help Grace out of the bed, but Amy smacked him away. He stared her down. "What was that for?"

The woman ignored him. "Luffy, please. I can carry Grace. Leave the kid here."

"I'm faster that you are," Coby argued. "You can't use your powers and carry Grace at the same time. I can."

"Alright," Luffy intervened. "I'm taking Coby." Amy moved to protest, but before she could, he continued. "He can carry both Grace and Gin in his Dino Mode, so I can fight if I have to and Sanji doesn't use his arms for fighting anyway, so he can carry Carue."

"I... Fine," the blonde yielded with an angry glance at the rosette.

"You have Devil Fruit powers?" Dalton asked.

"Yeah," Luffy answered. "Three of us here. Me, Coby, and Amy."

"Uh, Captain?" Coby questioned. "Shouldn't we get going?"

"Yep. Sorry. Got sidetracked. Now let's go." The two sick humans were helped out of the hut while the cook lifted the ill duck onto his shoulder and exited. Dalton followed them out to a sight he never thought he'd see.

There was a dinosaur, in clothes, standing in front of his home. Vivi was helping Luffy secure Coby's swords to his back, so, with the boy nowhere to be seen, Dalton concluded that the triceratops was the pink-haired boy using whatever Devil Fruit power he had. Coby knelt, allowing the others to rest Gin on the back of his neck and Grace between Gin and Coby's crown so she could be supported on both sides.

"Now listen here, you little punk," Amy growled, glaring at the large, three-horned Devil Fruit user. "If my little sister dies, I will blame you and kill you. Slowly and very painfully. Understood?"

"Grace is my friend," Coby shot back. "No friend of mine is dying on my watch."

"Beware the lapans," Dalton warned before they could leave. "They are carnivorous rabbits that live on the mountain. They are easily provoked and will attack non-stop."

"Trust me," Sanji waved off. "We aren't scared of a couple of bunnies." He, Luffy, and Coby took off at a run (or in Coby's case, a gallop) toward the tallest drum-shaped mountain. Dalton sighed.

"Don't worry," Vivi soothed. "They know what they're doing. If it's too help a friend, Luffy will do anything and everything to make them smile."

* * *

It was blizzarding around the Drum Rockies, the falling snow making it hard to see. Coby shivered, his now somewhat-cold-blooded nature making him a little less immune to the cold. Nevertheless, he trudged on. Sanji and Luffy had struck up a conversation to try to make the trip easier.

"Luffy," Sanji said. "Did you know that women from winter islands have snow-white skin as soft as silk?"

"Why is that?" Luffy asked.

"Well, people rub their skin when they're cold, right? Since they're always cold, the women's skin has become silky smooth from rubbing it so much."

"That doesn't explain why it's snow-white."

"That's from the falling snow. Since the snow is always landing on them, it bleaches their skin the same color."

"Your stupid, Sanji," Luffy laughed with a smile.

"I am not, you rubber-brained moron!" He went to kick his captain, but a medium-sized white rabbit with razor-sharp teeth got in the way. Sanji's kick blasted the animal away. "Ah. Oops."

"That must have been one of the lapans Dalton warned us about," Coby analyzed. They continued forward until there was a break in the trees. In front of them stood a herd... troop?... gaggle?... whatever of lapans. Each was the size of a gorilla, but with the form of a white rabbit with the exception of their red eyes and sharp teeth.

"That doesn't look good," Luffy commented.

"Run!" Sanji yelled. The three took off, trying to flee from the hoard of lapans that gave chase. They were as agile as bunnies and more accustomed to the snow than the pirates, so the monstrous rabbits started catching up. Coby ran ahead as Luffy and Sanji beat them away.

But it wasn't working. As more and more caught up, the beasts began pressing in on the trio and their sick companions. The three were corralled into another clearing. Most of the lapans were already there. The animals began jumping, causing large tremors as they hit the ground.

"What are they doing?" Coby asked worridly.

"They're gonna cause an avalanche!" Sanji shouted as snow shifted further up the mountain. They ran again, but this time, the lapans did not follow. Their purpose was done and the snow was falling.

"Quick!" Sanji called, pointing to a bolder jutting out of the surrounding landscape. "We have to get to higher ground! Get on the rock!"

"No!" Coby argued. "Get in front of it; the snow would just go over it! We need to get in front!"

"If this doesn't work, I'm gonna kill you!"

"Why is everyone threatening me?"

"Not now!" Luffy yelled. The group of six reached the boulder and crouched on the opposite side of the approaching snow, Coby changing back to his human form to save space. The snow reached them, but Coby's argument had been sound. The avalanche parted around the large rock and flowed over, yet the five humans and one duck stayed safe in their little bubble. The snow continued to rage down for several long minutes during which time the group had huddled for warmth and Coby had shed his jacket to give it to a shivering Grace. Once the snow had stopped, the avalanche had lost enough momentum that the snow going over the boulder landed on the group, covering them in a one-inch layer of fine powder.

The three able-bodied humans pulled themselves and their charges out of the powder before continuing their journey up the mountainside. As they moved upward, they came across what appeared to be a baby lapan trying to dig a bigger lapan, probably a parent, out of the snow. Evidently, causing the avalanche had backfired. Luffy, being the happy, helpful bundle of energy he was, hopped over and pulled the large snow rabbit out of its confinement. With that done, they continued on their way.

* * *

"Zoro?" Usopp questioned, looking down at the shirtless swordsman from the crow's nest. "What the Hell are you doing?"

"Going swimming."

"Uh, why? You do know it's, like, negative ten degrees, right?"

"A little ice water never killed anyone," Zoro answered before diving into the freezing river. Usopp shook his head and continued his duty of keeping watch. They'd find him again. Probably.

Several minutes later, a dot on the horizon started growing. Through his goggles, Usopp was able to make out the outline of a familiar ship.

"Oi!" he shouted, the call pulling the navigator out of her cabin. "Nami! Ship in the distance! I think it's that Waffle guy! Should we move the Merry?"

"Yeah!" she called back. "We don't want him to start eating the ship again! After that, we'll head into town and try to contact the others!" She paused. "Remind me to get some baby den-dens in Alabasta; God knows we need to set up a way to contact Luffy!"

"Aye!" The two set about moving the ship inward. It wouldn't do for the tyrant to find and eat them.

* * *

Vivi and Amy had continued their conversation with Dalton about the island and its history, but they were in a sled on their way to one of the neighboring villages after hearing word that the witchdoctor was there rather than in the castle she called home.

"So this island used to be Drum Kingdom?" Vivi asked. "And it's king was a tyrant that banished all but 20 doctors?"

"That's correct," Dalton sighed. "He was a disgrace. Nothing like his father who had been a just and kind man."

"Sounds like you knew him pretty well," Amy observed.

"I used to be captain of the king's guard, but that is a position I gave up a long time ago. A position I gave up during Wapol's reign."

"Why does that name sound familiar?" Vivi wondered before it came to her. "Wait! That was the guy who attacked our ship yesterday!"

"You met Wapol and survived?" Dalton asked the same time Amy said, "What attack?"

"You were caring for Grace at the time," Vivi explained, "but didn't you notice the railing on the ship? How it had been torn away? The leader of the group that boarded us, who I think was Wapol, got hungry and literally ate it."

"You expect me to believe that, Ms. Wednesday?"

"That would be the powers of the Chomp-Chomp Devil Fruit," Dalton said. "That _was_ Wapol that attacked you. Do you know what he wanted?"

"He asked if we had an eternal pose to Drum Kingdom," Vivi answered.

"No," Dalton's face paled. "If he asked for a pose to Drum Kingdom... This is not good. He's trying to return. If he comes back now, while the country is so unstable... Here!" Dalton thrusted the reigns into Vivi's hands. "The village is straight ahead." The former guard jumped out of the sled and hit the ground running as a bison. He took off toward the shore.

Little did he know that the king was almost home...

 **End of Chapter 26**

* * *

 **Omake**

 **High Seas Hijinks:**

 **Dinosauric Disasters**

(Takes place after the events of Little Garden)

"Goddamnit! Not again!" Coby swore violently, once again trying to pull one of his new horns out of a tree. Much of the crew sat to the side, laughing at him while waiting for Sanji to finish cooking the banquet that Luffy had requested. Even Vivi, who had insisted that the crew not laugh at the boy for the first few times he'd gotten stuck, was hard pressed not to burst into a fit of giggles herself.

"This isn't funny!" Coby whined, his hands pressed against the tree he was stuck in. The rosette was trying to change only his eyes using his new Devil Fruit powers, but we wasn't having as much luck as he had been hoping for. For the third time in a row, Coby had gotten one of his upper horns lodged into the wood. Growling, the boy picked his feet up and shoved them against the tree, only for his powers to fail and the horns to shrink back into his head. Coby tumbled to the ground, causing another round of laughter.

"Sorry, Shrimp," Zoro chuckled. "You know we'd help, but none of us are Zoan types."

"Yeah, yeah," Coby waved off with an irritated grunt. Screwing his eyes shut, the boy, once more, tried to concentrate his powers on his eyes alone. His face tingled for a second before more laughter reached his ears. "How bad is it?" Coby asked without opening his eyes.

"It's not that bad," Vivi tried to lie. Coby opened his eyes and took the mirror that Nami offered with a smirk. His eyes had changed... along with the rest of his face. With a groan, Coby's head dropped into his palms and he sat against the tree. Slowly, his face shifted beck to its normal look. Their entertainment over for the time being, the rest of the group split off to do their own things.

"I feel like I'll never get this right," Coby whined to himself.

"Cheer up, Coby," Gin insisted, sitting beside him. "You've only been trying for half an hour."

"But I'm not getting anywhere!"

"Sure you are," the former Krieg pirate rebuffed. "You've stopped doing full transformations; only parts of you are changing. That's a start."

"But I'm not fast enough," Coby muttered. "I won't be able to help sail the Merry if I can't see."

"Learning is a process, Little Man," Gin responded. "Do you think I just picked up my tonfa and started fighting? I hurt myself so much that I'd come back home covered in bruises and my old man would ask if I'd been playing in the coal mines (1)."

Coby turned his gaze to the blob of color that Gin's voice was coming from. "Really?"

"Hell yeah," Gin nodded. At least, Coby thought he nodded. "I was 16 then. Took me almost a month before I stopped hitting myself. Compared to Younger Me, you're like a genius."

"I..." Coby paused. "Thanks, Gin."

"No problem, Little Man," Gin smirked. "You've got more company coming this way, so I'll go keep everyone else occupied." Gin stood with a grunt and Coby heard him call out "Hey, Amy! Got any good sadist stories?" He walked away, only for his spot to be filled again afterwards.

"Hey," Grace greeted, falling into Gin's vacated seat. "You doing ok?"

"Yeah," Coby sighed. "This is just harder than I thought it would be, you know?"

"Not really," the painter admitted. "I do remember Amy complaining after she got her powers about a year ago, though. She and Mr. 5, who was Mr. 14 at the time, had attacked a group of pirates that stopped at one of the early islands called Wesley Isle (1). She told me that the pirates had been celebrating after raiding a Marine base that morning and that they'd found two Devil Fruits in the vaults and were planning on eating them that night. Amy snuck- Ow!"

"You ok?" Coby twisted around, but his terrible eyesight didn't allow him to see what had happened.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Grace waved off. "Just a bug bite. Now where was I?"

"Amy raiding pirates."

"Right. Anyway, Amy snuck in and stole the Devil Fruits, she and Mr. 5 eating them instead." The girl cracked a smile. "Her powers fluctuated for a week and we had to replace her bed twice because her mass would increase in the middle of the night."

Coby couldn't help it; he snorted out a laugh that left tears in his eyes, Grace's laughter joining his a second afterward and the two were left gasping for air. With a sigh, Coby turned to the multicolored blob that was Grace and thanked her. She stood and offered him a hand which he took before standing.

"I needed that," Coby said, stepping away from the tree. "I guess I should get back to work."

"Here," Grace offered, pulling out her palette. Carefully, she smeared paint around Coby's eye in about the shape of his old lenses. "Now you have an area to focus on."

"I don't think you needed to do that," Coby deadpanned. "I think I know where my eyes are."

"I know." Grace walked away, the blob Coby saw her as growing smaller before his vision was filled with a bouncing blob that Coby suspected was his captain.

"You look funny, Coby!" Luffy laughed. "Any more progress?"

"Let me check," the rosette responded, catching some of Luffy's infectious energy. A few seconds later, the boy's face twisted, his forehead elongating, his eyes changing, and his third horn growing from his nose. Luffy swam into view.

"You're mouth didn't change that time!" the rubber-man pointed out with a smile. "You're almost there!"

"My beautiful mademoiselles!" Sanji's voice carried over to the Devil Fruit users. "You're Dinosaur a la Carne is has been cooked with the flames of my love! Hey, Shitheads! Come get your meat!"

"Food!" Luffy yelled, becoming a blur headed in the direction of the table.

"Well," Coby mused, not noticing his forehead receding back into place. "I guess I can continue after dinner. Hey, Captain Luffy! Save some for the rest of us!" He bolted after the rubber-man, completely forgetting the paint on his face.

 **Fin**

 _ **1: This is not Canon. Don't quote me.**_

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	27. Kureha the Witch

**Looking back, I probably should have added that Omake to this chapter instead. Oh well. It's not my best work, but I am proud of the next chapter that comes out on Monday, so be patient. Thank you.**

* * *

 **Chapter 27:**

 **Kureha the Witch**

"Ah," one large king sighed, the bodies of several poorly-armed peasants scattered around the coast, staining the fresh snow red. "Drum Kingdom. To think that I would be gone for only a few months and the people would think me as good as dead."

"They were truly foolish, my lord," a man with a black afro said. The man also had a beard/mustache combo styled into spheres to complement his hair style. This was Kuromarimo, one of the king's two advisers. "But now that you have returned, they will see the error of their ways and return to you."

"He is correct, King Wapol," the man beside him interjected. This was the man who had first met the Straw Hats and the king's second adviser, Chess. "Your being absent left a power gap they needed to fill for the time being. With you returned, that gap will vanish."

"Well of course!" Wapol laughed. "Let's go, men! The people will be delighted to learn of my triumphant return! Go, Robson!" The king hopped upon his... snow hippo?... and took off, his troops racing behind in an attempt to catch up.

"King Wapol! Wait!"

* * *

"Holy shit, it's cold!" Zoro exclaimed, climbing out of the freezing river with only a pair of pants on. "Where am I? Dammit. I'm lost. Guess I shouldn't have followed the fish that far." He glanced around, shivering. Ahead, the swordsman saw an old woman in a sled pulled by a single reindeer with a blue nose. "Oh thank God! Hey! Old lady! Do you know where I am?" She gestured for him to come closer until he was within an arm's length.

"Watch what you say!" the woman yelled in his ear, punching him over the head. "I'm not old! I'm still in my youthful 130's!" Zoro didn't respond; he was rolling on the snow-covered ground, grasping his head in pain. "Let's go, Chopper!" the woman ordered. The reindeer took off, leaving the swordsman alone, shirtless, and dripping water in the freezing tundra.

"Dammit," Zoro complained. "I'm still cold. Might as well do some exercises to warm up." He got on his hands before slowly removing one and bending the other. "One... Two... three..."

* * *

"There," Nami said. "The Merry's secure. Usopp! How're you doing over there?"

"The sails are secure! Plus I think we're closer to Dalton's village than we were!"

"Well get down here so we can go!"

"Aye!"

* * *

"Are you sure Gyasha is this way?" Vivi questioned, trying to make sense of the map she and Amy had found in the sled. "I think we may have missed a turn."

"Well stop the deer and I'll check," Amy told her. The princess slowed the animals to a stop before the blonde floated upward. She twisted around, taking in the view before quickly returning. "Run!"

"What?!" Vivi cried out, her hand being grabbed by the Devil Fruit user and her body being dragged out of the sled. "What's going on?!"

"Avalanche!" Amy responded. She may not like the princess that much and she could have just used her powers to escape, but she would be damned if she got her sister kicked out of the crew because she left Vivi to die.

"There's something up ahead!" Vivi shouted after a couple minutes of running.

"Five thousand four hundred and seventy-three... Five thousand four hundred and seventy-four... Five thousand four hundred and seventy-five..."

"Is that Zoro?" Amy question.

"Oi!" Vivi called. "Mr. Bushido! Run!" The women blew past him.

"What?" Zoro asked. "Vivi? Amy? What's wrong?" The noticed the snow coming toward them. "Oh shi-!"

The snow caught up.

* * *

"Hello, my subjects!" Wapol laughed. "Your king has returned!"

The people of Big Horn could only cower in fear as the man they thought would never return rampaged through their town, eating fences, houses, and even some pets without a care. His men only watched, doing nothing to stop or even slow the man. In fact, some of the men were encouraging the former king by scoring his bites!

"King Wapol!" Kuromarimo called, running up to the rotund royal who was in the process of eating another house. "We've received word that those pirates we ran into on the way here are on the island! Apparently, three of them went up the mountain to seek medical treatment for three of their crewmembers!"

"Why the Hell would they do that?" Wapol questioned through his mouthful of house. He swallowed before ripping up a mailbox and treating it like a lollipop.

"It seems that that weird doctor Kureha moved into Drum Castle after we left," Kuromarimo shrugged. "She's a crazy old bat. I'm surprised she's still alive."

"Well let's go kick her out! We'll kill those insolent Straw Hats along the way!"

"Stop!" a voice roared. Dalton charged into the village, his special weapon, a long handle topped with a round blade sharped at the edges, out and ready for combat.

"What?" Wapol questioned. "Dalton? Have you come back to reenlist in my army?"

"Hell no! I'm here to order you to leave this island and never come back!" With Dalton's return, the people's spirits had skyrocketed. They were amassing behind him, ready to drive their ex-king and his men from the land. At the same time, Nami and Usopp arrived in the town.

"Dammit," Nami swore. "We're too late."

"Come on, Dalton," Kuromarimo tried to reason. "You were one of us once. One of King Wapol's top three and the head of the guard. Join us again."

"This land was better off without Wapol's tyrannical regime," Dalton answered. As the former knight spoke, his body shifted into his hybrid form using the power of the Ox-Ox Fruit: Model Bison. Dalton's already-large frame grew, thick brown fur growing to cover every piece of skin showing. The man's shoes fell off, then having not meant to hold hooves. Bull horns sprouted on either end of Dalton's now-bovine head and great puffs of air came out in large pants, the breath showing as it hit the cold air. "I'm here to ensure that it never returns!" Using his superior leg strength, Dalton leapt up to Wapol and slashed the blade across his chest, knocking the other Devil Fruit user off of his pet.

"I'm bleeding!" Wapol wailed, rolling around on the snow-covered ground. "I'm going to die!"

"No you're not, King Wapol!" Chess yelled. "20 MDs! Get to work!"

"Start operation," the aforementioned doctors answered. Quickly, the doctors had not only sown the cut shut, but had also repaired the man's armor.

"I feel great!" Wapol exclaimed, hopping up. "Chess! Kill him!"

"Yes, King Wapol," the jester answered. "I've known you for a long time, Dalton," he said, readying three arrows on his bow. "I know you well. And I know your weaknesses." He let the arrows fly, aiming at the crowd of armed bystanders.

"No!" Dalton cried. He pushed himself into the arrows' paths, taking the attack.

"Dalton!" The townspeople exclaimed as one. The man fell to one knee before collapsing onto his side. The people were ready to attack, but a rumbling overtook the village. The avalanche from the mountain was approaching.

"Chess!" Wapol called. "Kuromarimo! Get on! Let's go, Robson!"

"Wait, King Wapol!" the 20 MDs called. "Take us with you!"

"Save yourselves, weaklings!" The beast took off as fast as it could, leaving everyone else at the mercy of the snow. Wapol and his advisers still didn't make it that far. The snow swallowed them shortly outside of Big Horn.

Wapol chewed his way out after the snow had settled and spit his two advisers out of his mouth. "This must be the work of that Straw Hat bastard!" He fumed.

"What do you mean, your majesty?" Kuromarimo asked.

"You said that some of those Straw Hats had gone up the mountain, right? They must have caused this avalanche to try to kill me. Robson! To Drum Castle!"

* * *

"Gah!" Zoro yelled, popping out of the snow next to the river. Vivi and Amy followed soon after. "What the Hell? Where'd that avalanche come from?"

"W-We don't kn-know," Vivi answered, shivering despite her winter coat as she pulled herself out of her own snow pile. "W-We heard that the d-doctor, Kureha, w-was in Gyasha, so we were h-headed that way. Th-Then the avalanche came, we ran, and h-here we are." While the princess was speaking, Amy pulled herself from the snow and floated upwards to find the closest village.

"This way!" called the blonde as she lowered herself to the snow, staying light enough that her weight did not disrupt the powder beneath her feet. "There's a village rather close. Plus I think there's a confrontation about to start." She floated up a few inches and drifted east, the other two trudging through the snow to catch up.

They wandered into the buried town of Big Horn several minutes later. On one side were Nami, Usopp, and the villagers. The other side, which had a rather sizable mound of snow, were the soldiers of Wapol. The former were yelling at the latter about a man named Dalton being buried under the snow.

"Oh no," Vivi lamented. "Dalton's down there. We have to help!"

"That can't be good for his health," Amy commented.

"Those winter coats sure look warm," Zoro muttered. "Those are bad guys, right?"

"Yes," Usopp answered as he and Nami wandered over to the trio. "Those are Wapol's men." Zoro stepped through the crowd, approaching the soldiers.

"Hey, you!" The man in front yelled, leveling a sword at the green-haired pirate. "Don't come any closer!" Zoro ignored him. "I'm warning you!" He continued to advance. "Fine! Death it is!" The soldier raised his blade up for an overhead strike, but the pirate launched himself forward. He buried his fist into his opponent's gut, doubling the man over. The guard's weapon fell from his hand as he collapsed. Zoro wasted no time. Within 30 seconds, he had liberated the defeated man of all his clothing except his undergarments, leaving him at the mercy of the harsh winter island weather.

"What the Hell?!" Nami shouted at him. "You attacked so you could steal his clothes?!"

"Yeah," Zoro answered as if it were the most obvious reason in the world. "I was cold. Now I'm not."

"You'll pay for that, you bastard!" one of the remaining soldiers shouted. He and the rest charged at the swordsman, but Zoro was too fast and too nimble for them. He emerged from the other side of the hoard with three swords firmly in his preferred style.

"Alright," Zoro said, excitement permitting his voice. "Who's first?"

The crowds were speechless. What did this man think he was doing? Zoro smirked, not caring about the people's thoughts. He dashed forward, his blades flipped so he was fighting with the blunt edges. This changed little. The swordsman weaved in and out of clumps of enemies, his foes falling unconscious to the cold ground. All too soon, every soldier was lying on the snow.

"Well," Zoro sighed, dropping the swords. "That was disappointing."

"Good job, Zoro!" Usopp yelled. "Just like I told you to!"

"Shut up, Usopp," Nami ordered.

The people threw up a cheer for the unknown warrior. They wasted no time and began digging, praying that Dalton was still alive.

 **End of Chapter 27**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	28. Blue-Nosed Reindeer

**Hello, all. So I'll get right to the chase. I would like eight (8) Reviews this time. Hopefully that isn't too much. Now enjoy this chapter bacause I had a lot of fun writing it.**

* * *

 **Chapter 28:**

 **Blue-Nosed Reindeer**

"That is one big-ass mountain," Sanji muttered, staring straight upward at the top of the centermost mountain of the Drum Rockies. The slope was nearly a perfect 90-degree angle riddled with ledges barely a finger's width wide. Wind howled past, carrying snow and sleet across the side of the circular landmark and threatening the six travelers with frostbite should they not be quick enough.

It was evening, nearly seven o'clock. The light was fading, and with it went what little heat was in the air. The three would have arrived earlier, but they had had a run-in with Wapol and his advisors. Fortunately, the lapans from before had come to their aid and beat the king and his pawns back.

"What now?" the cook questioned.

"We climb," Luffy answered, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "Grace, Gin, and Carue's lives are at stake. We can't stop now. Coby, give me Gin."

"Yes, Captain Luffy." The Zoan-Type Devil Fruit user trudged over in his Dino Mode, allowing the teen to remove the older man from his back. The two split Coby's set of swords, each using one strap of the pair to secure their comrades to their backs. Despite this, Coby unsheathed the blades themselves.

Luffy was the first to begin. He threw his left arm up and grabbed a larger-than-average ledge. His rubber arm slowly pulled his body up until the teen planted his feet on the wall. He started to climb, one hand over the other.

Sanji came next. Putting his powerful leg muscles to work. With the assistance of the steel-toed shoes he wore, the chef would firmly kick an indent into the cliff side. One step at a time, he slowly pulled himself higher with one arm, his feet keeping him and the ill duck he was carrying from falling.

Coby came last. He did not have the brute strength to lift himself with such little area like his captain or the blond cook. Instead, he took his swords and stabbed them into the rock. It seemed like a very Zoro thing to do, but it worked. The boy would drive one sword into a crevas between two layers of stone, hoist himself up to that height, plant his feet, and repeat the process with his other sword. On his back, Grace's pained moans drifted from her unconscious lips before being ripped away by the howling wind. The soft sounds in his ear pushed the rosette forward.

They climbed for what felt like hours. The higher they went, the more the elements tried to force them back down. Ice-cold wind buffeted them from all sides, leaving their skin flushed and their fingers numb. Blood dripped from the hands of the older climbers as the rough stone bit into their cold skin, their gloves having worn away.

"Captain Luffy!" Coby shouted over the wind. "Can you tell how much further?!"

"I think we're almost there!" the rubber-man called back. He reached up, but the next ledge was not as sturdy as the pirate captain had thought. The frozen stone broke under his weight causing the straw-hat-wearing teen to skid downward, his fingers and toes leaving bloody rivets in the rock. His momentum halted 15 feet down.

"Captain!" Coby yelled. "Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine!" Luffy yelled back. "Keep going!" The trio continued to climb, the peak coming closer with every passing minute. Finally, the snow-covered plateau at the top of the mountain came into view. "There it is!" Luffy called out, filling his companions with a final burst of determination.

They scampered over the ledge, collapsing onto the flat snow. Luffy's vision was blurring, unconsciousness threatening to claim him like it had his friends who rested on either side. There was a large shape, brown in color, moving toward him.

"Help them," he squeaked out, praying to whatever deities were out there that this thing was a friend. "Help them. Please-" He passed out, the strain finally stealing his mind and forcing him into the realm of dreams.

The beast stared at the group in shock. Had these people, these humans, climbed the mountain? His eyes were drawn to a scruffy man, a young girl, and a large duck, said three moaning and covered in sweat despite the below-freezing temperatures.

"Chopper!" a woman's called from somewhere behind him. "What is it?!"

"Patients!" The humanoid called back. "I think they climbed up the cliff!"

"What?! That shouldn't be possible! That's a three-mile climb!"

"But they're here! What do we do?"

"Bring them in," the woman responded. "We'll question them after they're healed."

"Yes, Doctorine."

* * *

Grace woke slowly, her head pounding painfully to the beat of her own heart. While it hurt, Grace was smart enough to know that it meant she was still alive; that Coby, Luffy, and Sanji had gotten them to the doctor. The girl sat up carefully, causing a bag of ice to fall from her forehead. She noticed that her jacket, smock, and shoes were missing and that her hair had come out of its usual twin braids. Without thinking, she reached for her hat before remembering that it was back on the Merry.

The artist looked around the room from her position in the bed. Natural sunlight poured into the room from a large window on the wall to the girl's left. Her bed was near the middle of the room with a bedside table on either end. To the left was another bed, this one occupied by a sleeping Gin. His coat and shoes sat on the bedside table between them. The walls were made of an off-white stone, just like both the floor and the ceiling. Bookshelves lined the walls between two doorways on two different walls, only a desk with various medical supplies breaking the continuous chain. The doorway before her had a door while the one to her right was freely accessible. Carue sat in the corner upon a stack of blankets, snoozing.

A tuft of pink laid on the edge of her bed. A second look revealed this fluff to be a sleeping Coby sitting on a stool and resting on his arms. There was a pitter-patter coming from the doorway on the right, indicating that someone or something was coming. Quickly re-positioning herself, Grace feigned sleep. Through the entrance walked one of the weirdest creatures the young girl had ever seen, standing on two legs and carrying a tray of herbs.

It stood roughly three feet tall and was covered in brown fur. Each of its short appendages ended in a hoof and its lower body was covered in a pair of maroon shorts. The thing's face was adorable, capped with a little blue nose. Completing its appearance were two antlers sticking out of a maroon top hat with a white X. One horn, the one on the left side of the creature's body, was held on by a metal band. She'd nearly thought it was a raccoon-dog, but raccoon-dogs don't have antlers. Obviously.

The thing, whatever it was, only glanced at her. It walked over to the desk, a small tail sticking out of the back of its pants. The creature climbed up onto the chair and started grinding the herbs together. Grace heard Gin shift in his sleep, the noise causing the animal to tense. Gin sat up blearily, trying to blink the sleep out of his eyes. The creature scrambled out of the chair and hid behind the door frame.

"Hid" being a relative term. The poor creature had placed himself in such a way that only one antler, half of its face, and its two right hooves were truly out of sight.

"What the?" Gin mumbled, blinking. "A tanuki?"

"I'm a reindeer!" the apparently-humanoid reindeer snapped angrily. "Antlers!" he, it was a he Grace was sure, added, pointing at said growths.

"Oh. Ok." Gin laid down again and was soon snoring quietly. The reindeer stared at him. Apparently he had expected more of a reaction. Grace slowly pulled herself up, pretending to only be waking. The deer scrambled back to his poorly-hidden state.

"Oh, hello," the girl greeted, smiling. "Aren't you supposed to hide more of your body than that if you're trying to stay out of sight?" The creature squeaked before adjusting accordingly.

"How are you doing?" the deer asked, eyeing her warily. "When you arrived, both of you humans and the duck had very high fevers."

"I'm feeling much better," Grace smiled. "Did you take care of us?"

"I only helped. Doctorine did most of the work."

"Thank you."

"I don't need your thanks, you big jerk!" the deer yelled angrily, dancing happily as he did so.

"Whatever you say," Grace shrugged. "Do you know where the other two that came with us are?"

"They're resting in another room. This one should be, too," he gestured at Coby, "but he wanted to be in here when one of you woke up." His words caused Grace to blush, believing what she wanted to. The deer saw her red face. "Oh God! Is your fever coming back? Doctorine! Doctorine!"

"Shut up, Chopper!" a woman's voice yelled, making the reindeer, Chopper, flinch. She walked through the doorway, revealing herself to be an old... ahem, _young..._ woman in her aged... ahem, _youthful..._ 130's. Medium-length gray hair fell past her shoulders and a hook nose protruded from her face. Two pairs of glasses, one for reading and one for blocking out the sunlight, rested on top of her head. She was dressed in very age-inappropriate- I mean... *cough* _age-appropriate_... clothing consisting of a white crop top with a pink floral pattern under a long sleeved purple jacket that showed her bellybutton piercing and a pair of worn purple jeans. "Oh. I see one of our patients is awake. I'm this island's doctor, Kureha, but you can call me Doctorine. How do you feel?"

"Much better," Grace answered.

"That's surprising. You and Scruffy here had what's known as the Five-Day Disease caused by a bacteria thought to have gone extinct along with the Kestia bug. Based on your symptoms, you must have been on the third day." The doctor held up Grace's left hand, the back of which was covered in a horrible purple bruise. "This was the bug bite that caused it. Still not sure where you got it since those bugs could only be found over one hundred years ago. Personally, you're lucky to be alive. Two more days and you three would have died."

Grace gulped. Death did not sound very good. Sure, she'd never have to work again, but her sister would be so sad. And who knew if they had rice crackers in the afterlife!

"Really though. Where did you get bitten, an island of dinosaurs?"

"Um… yes," Grace answered sheepishly. "Giants, too."

"Meeeeaaaat~" a familiar voice droned. Luffy, covered in bandages, wandered into the room sleepily, his nose guiding him more than his eyes. Grace knew there would be trouble as soon as Luffy's eyes landed on Chopper. "Meat!"

The pirate captain dove for the humanoid reindeer, the animal doctor responding by shrieking at the top of his lungs and running out the door as fast as his little legs would carry him. The wooden door, which led to the frozen interior of the castle, slammed into one of the bookshelves causing medical texts to fall to the floor. Doctorine blinked slowly, confused by what had just happened.

The ruckus and the chill from the open door seemed to rouse Coby who stirred. He lifted his head, squinting and reaching around for a pair of glasses. After a few seconds, he seemed to remember that he no longer wore them and focused on using his power to alter his eyes. Instead, three horns sprouted, two on his forehead and one smaller one on his nose.

"Ah, shoot," he muttered as if that happened every morning. The horns retracted before his eyes altered ever so slightly. "There we go. Grace! You're awake! How are you?"

"Hungry," the young artist joked.

"At least you're not dead."

"Obviously. I'm still stuck here with you."

"Get a room," Doctor Kureha moaned, dragging Coby's attention to her.

"Doctorine," the rosette greeted. He must have met her when he moved to Grace's bedside. "Thank you again for healing us. I know you had no obligation to."

"I just wanted to see if my apprentice could identify your injuries," Kureha waved off. Chopper and Luffy ran through the room, but now Sanji had joined the chase and was yelling about making venison stew. "Stop it, you morons!" Kureha shouted as she yanked a sword from a suit of armor in the corner, shifting the chase from two-on-one to one-on-two. The two pirates fled from the mad woman with the sharp weapon, forgetting about the deer. Chopper watched them go before slowly closing the door. He approached Coby carefully, one arm extended to touch the boy's arm.

"So you guys are really pirates?" he asked. "Like, really-real pirates?"

"Uh, yes?" Coby answered, rather confused by the question. "Really-real."

"So you've got a flag with a skull on it?"

"And a boat." Chopper tapped his arm, acting as if the ex-Marine-hopeful could blow up at any time. "Why? Are you interested in becoming a pirate?"

"No!" The small creature yelled, suddenly defensive. "Even if I wanted to, a monster like me wouldn't belong on a ship full of humans!"

"We've got plenty of monsters on the crew," Coby rebuffed. "Our captain is made of rubber. Our chef is a perv with one Hell of a kick. I can turn into a dinosaur. Heck, that guy in the bed right there is known as the Man-Demon on his wanted poster. None of us are really considered human"

"But I've got a blue nose," Chopper muttered as if that changed anything.

"I think it's cute," Grace told him.

Chopper awkwardly turned to the rosette, his eyes revealing that he loved Grace's comment. "You can turn into a dinosaur?" the reindeer asked skeptically. Coby closed his eyes. His horns slowly reemerged and his forehead extended slightly. Grace giggled; he looked ridiculous.

"As you may have realized, I ate the Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit: Model Triceratops, so yes; I can turn into a dinosaur."

Chopper was about to respond, but he was cut off by a cry of "MEAT! COME BACK HERE, MEAT!" Luffy and Sanji blew through the door and chased Chopper out. Doctor Kureha wobbled in and sat down, breathing hard.

"Damn, those boys can run," she wheezed. She glanced at Coby's new look. "What happened to you?"

"Devil Fruit."

"Huh. You know, Chopper ate a Devil Fruit. A Human-Human Fruit actually, but this fruit... some would say it ruined his life. He's got wounds on his heart. Wounds my medicines can't heal. Would you all be able to?"

"Are you asking us to recruit your apprentice?" Coby questioned, his horns retreating.

"I can't control your actions or his answer to that question, but I can tell you of his life..."

And so she did. Kureha explained how the deer was excluded from his pack because of his blue nose before being kicked out because of his Devil Fruit. She talked about how he was called a monster and fell in with Doctor Hiriluk, a crazy old man who began Chopper's education in medicines. He had been the one to give Chopper his name, his hat, and his fascination with pirates. Kureha gained a far-away look in her eyes when she spoke of "the old quack", leading Coby to believe that it wasn't just the want of an assistant that led to the old lady all but adopting Chopper after Hiriluk's death all those years ago.

Coby decided then and there that he would convince Luffy to recruit the reindeer as their doctor.

 **End of Chapter 28**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	29. Wapol's Assault

**Chapter 29:**

 **Wapol's Assault**

As it turned out, convincing Luffy to let Chopper to join the Straw Hat Pirates was completely unnecessary. The rubber-man had taken to following the human-reindeer around to convince him into joining them on their journey.

Although calling him "Monster" probably wasn't the best way to go about it.

"Get back here, Monster!" Luffy yelled, chasing Chopper around the castle. "I want to be your friend!"

"Get away from me, you psycho!"

"Is a little peace and quiet after almost dying too much to ask?" Grace questioned, trying to sleep. Carue quacked in agreement.

"You get used to never having it," Gin sighed from the other bed.

"Oh good," Sanji said, walking in with two trays and a bowl. "You're all awake. One nutritious breakfast for Grace-chan, a bowl for Vivi-chwan's beloved friend, and leftovers for the shithead."

"Hey!" Gin protested.

"I don't remember telling you that you could use my kitchen," Kureha scolded.

"You're a doctor," Sanji answered, "not a cook."

"Was that an insult?"

"No, it was a fact. Leave the cooking to me while we're here."

"Doctorine! Doctorine!" Chopper called. "We have a problem! I can smell him! Wapol's back!"

"Is he now?" Kureha questioned. "Let's go meet him, then." Kureha, Chopper in his Walk Point, Luffy, Sanji, and Coby exited the building. On the edge of the plateau, the previous king and his two advisors stood.

"Ah," they heard Wapol sigh. "Drum Castle. It hasn't changed."

"Uh... Your Majesty?" Chess asked. "What is that flag flying?" The archer pointed to a pirate flag with cherry blossoms tied to the top of one of the towers.

"I don't know," Wapol shrugged. "Shoot it down."

"No!" Chopper yelled. Luffy rushed forward, his fist cocked back.

"King Wapol!" Kuromarimo called out. "It's that Straw Hat!" His warning came too late, however. The pirate's fist connected with the king and threw him back. Wapol was thrown into Robson, transferring his momentum to the snow hippo. The animal was sent flying.

"You will not touch that flag," Luffy ordered hopping back. "I don't know whose it is, but a pirate's flag is a promise to risk his life for his freedom."

"You moron!" Wapol laughed. "Flags mean nothing!"

"I'll make you regret those words!"

"Captain Luffy," Coby said. "There are four of us and only three of them. We have the advantage."

"Meat and I will take Waffle."

"My name is Chopper!"

"Chopper and I will take Waffle," Luffy amended. "Sanji, take the clown guy. Coby, the other one's yours." He shot forward, Chopper not that far behind in his Walk Point. Chess took aim at them, but his arrows were knocked out of the air from a couple kicks courtesy of Sanji. Coby charged the man with the afro.

 **Coby vs. Kuromarimo**

"This is my opponent?" Kuromarimo asked himself. "They send a little kid after me? I'm insulted. Kuromarimo Fluff!" He punched toward the pink-haired boy running toward him, but Coby sidestepped each of the balls of hair that came for him.

"Do not underestimate me," he warned, shifting into his Hybrid Mode. The king's advisor, shocked by the sudden change, only barely avoided the sword coming for him at the last second. The weapon missed his skin, but the left half of his hairstyle fell to the snow.

"You little shit!"

"Be careful with the insults. The last person to call me that fell into the ocean."

"Die!" The man attacked with a flurry of hair-covered punches that Coby blocked with his Sabaku no Kiba blades. He twisted around a right hook, hitting Kuromarimo with his tail. The man was sent skidding backward, holding his stomach. Coby took his chance.

"Five Point Style: Meteor Swords!" Coby launched himself at his opponent, twisting himself through the air with his swords and horns pointed the same direction. Kuromarimo leapt back, but he still caught the tail end of the attack. One of Coby's horns stabbed into his left arm, rendering it useless without large amounts of pain.

In response, the man punched Coby with his good arm, leaving giant hair balls. The boy pulled away, the hair obscuring his vision. Kuromarimo continued to punch the dinosauric human as Coby pulled at the hair.

"Ha. They thought a kid could beat me just because he had a Devil Fruit? What a joke! I'll kill you first, then I'll move on to your sick friends inside."

"You won't touch them!" Coby roared, using his swords to cut the hair away. He suddenly became very stoic. "Captain Luffy has a policy on killing, you know."

"What does that matter?"

"Killing is only allowed if someone specifically threatens our friends. I don't like it, but I won't hold back just so you live. Cretaceous Charge!" Coby sheathed his blades and crouched. He shot forward, changing into his Dino Mode. Kuromarimo tried to deter him, but the ancient beast batted the hair attacks away with his horns since their velocity overpowered the static electricity that Kuromarimo used to get them to stick. The closer Coby got, the more fear started to swell inside of the black-haired man.

"King Wapol!" Kuromarimo cried. "Help m-!" He never finished his plea. Coby shrunk into his Hybrid Mode just before impact. All three of his horns stabbed into Kuromarimo's chest. The man coughed blood, the red liquid splashing on the teen's face.

"Never threaten my friends," Coby growled out. He threw the man away. Kuromarimo landed on his feet near the cliff, but his footing was unstable and his breathing was labored. Blood oozed from his wounds and stained the fresh snow, at least one, if not both, of his lungs punctured. The snow shifted below him. Before the man could yell out, the powder had gone over the edge of the cliff, taking him with it. He screamed.

Coby watched as the man fell into the snowstorm raging around the mountain. The man's cries echoed in his mind, but Coby felt no remorse. The man had been a terrible person and, sometimes, only those who lived outside the law were the ones who could do the most good.

The boy's hands were stained red, but for his friends and what he believed.

 ***Announcer voice* FATALITY!**

 **Coby vs. Kuromarimo**

 **Winner: Coby**

* * *

 _"Chopper and I will take Waffle," Luffy amended. "Sanji, take the clown guy. Coby, the other one's yours." He shot forward, Chopper not that far behind in his Walk Point. Chess took aim at them, but his arrows were knocked out of the air from a couple kicks courtesy of Sanji._

"Wh-what?" Chess questioned.

"I will be your opponent while my captain deals with your shitty king."

 **Sanji vs. Chess**

"Shut your mouth, peasant! Our king is greater than your sorry captain!"

"Veau Shot!" Sanji flashed forward, kicking Chess in the gut. Quickly, he backhandspringed away as the king's second advisor swiped at him with an arrow. Said arrow was notched, lit on fire through some unknown means, and fired a couple seconds later. Several more burning arrows followed the first. Sanji weaved his way through the projectiles, avoiding any major damage but receiving some minor cuts and burns. Chess continued to shoot fire arrow after fire arrow.

"Dammit!" Sanji yelled. "Who many damn arrows do you have?!"

"Like I'd tell you," the archer responded. Sanji, having had enough, rushed forward for another attack.

"Slice Shoot!" He declared, his leg hooking the bow and tearing it from Chess' hands. The chef spun around and roundhouse kicked the bow over the side of the cliff and out of their fight.

"You bastard," Chess growled. "Fine! Let's see how you handle my Chess Hammers!" From within his outrageous outfit, the man pulled two large wooden hammers and raised them over his head. Sanji was forced to leap away as the king's advisor brought them down, leaving a crater in the snow.

"Looks like I'll have to take this a little more seriously," the teen muttered, hopping away again.

"Hold still and get squished already!" Chess was swinging his hammers every which way in an attempt to crush the pirate, but Sanji was just too quick for the jester. Finally, Chess overextended on a vertical swing, stumbling forward. Sanji took his chance.

"Three-Point Carve!" The blond's right leg came out, snapping down in an ax kick on Chess' left weapon, shattering the handle. Before the man could react, Sanji had moved on, his other leg breaking through the second hammer's handle. To finish, the chef spun around, planting the back of his heel into his opponent's face. Chess staggered back with blood flowing from a broken nose.

"Damn you!" he sputtered, throwing the useless sticks away. "Damn you to Hell." Sanji said nothing. Instead, he brought a cigarette to his lips and lit it. Chess, enraged by his foe's blatant disregard of his power, pulled out his next set of weapons. "Chess Axes!" The weapons in question were painted red with a head-sized hole in the body of the blade.

"These are my strongest weapons!" Chess gloated. "No one that I have ever met in life-or-death battle has lived to talk about it! Do you know what that means?" Little did the man know that Sanji had not stood by listening to his monologue. The only warning Chess had of the beginning of the end was Sanji's cry of

"Third-Rate Mincemeat! Flank!" The chef's leg slammed into the soldier's side, winding him. The jester swiped at him with his left ax, but the blond dodged to the right and retaliated. "Arm!" Chess dropped the ax. "Shoulder!" Sanji's leg came down on the man's right shoulder, dislocating it and rendering his other arm useless. "Leg!" Chess went down, his left leg pulled from under him. "Rib!" The man coughed red, a couple of his ribs fractured. "Chin!" He was thrown away. Sanji ran to catch up. "Cheek!" Chess was blasted sideways. Sanji jumped up with all of his leg strength. "And finally-

"Crush!" The teen came down with a spinning, double ax kick to his adversary's lower back. The sound of bones breaking resonated through the area as Chess passed out from the pain. Sanji stood over him, calmly smoking.

 ***Announcer voice* K.O.!**

 **Sanji vs. Chess**

 **Winner: Sanji**

* * *

 _"Chopper and I will take Waffle," Luffy amended. "Sanji, take the clown guy. Coby, the other one's yours." He shot forward, Chopper not that far behind in his Walk Point._

"Come on!" Wapol yelled at them. "I'll take you both on!"

"Good!" Luffy yelled back, "cause that's what you're getting!"

 **Luffy and Chopper vs. Wapol**

"Gum-Gum Pistol!" The rubber-man's arm shot forward, but Wapol was ready this time and batted it to the right. Chopper ground to a halt.

"Wh-what are you?" he asked, staring wide-eyed at the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates.

"Me?" Luffy responded. "I'm a monster!"

"It doesn't matter what you are!" Wapol shouted. "You're going to be my next meal soon!" The previous king ran forward as fast as his large body would allow (which was surprisingly fast), his mouth stretching to an impossible size. Luffy dove out of the way. Wapol's gigantic mouth crashed down right where the rubber-man had been standing only a couple seconds before, taking a huge amount of snow into his gaping maw.

Chopper ran in, switching to Heavy Point for the force it provided. Wapol's head, which had grown to accommodate his oversized mouth, made an excellent target. The reindeer punched the man as hard as he could, causing the tyrant to spin once and collapse.

"That," Chopper muttered, "was very disappointing." He turned to the black-haired teen. "Now what is up with your body? No normal person could stretch like that!"

"I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit when I was a kid," Luffy explained with smile. "I'm made of rubber." To drive home the meanings of that statement, Luffy grabbed the inside of his cheek and pulled, stretching it out.

"Huh," Chopper shrugged. Devil Fruits really did a lot of things.

"I've got you now, Straw Hat!" The announcement was the only warning Luffy had before the light vanished from his vision. He could barely hear Chopper calling his epithet, but he was more preoccupied with the large, blunt things trying to squish him. Plus it was all slimy and not at all pleasant. Fortunately, or unfortunately, Luffy could recall this happening once before.

"I'm not going to be some snack for you!" Luffy yelled out, bracing himself and slowly forcing Wapol's mouth open from the inside. Light petered in as the king's lips were forced to part. Luffy quickly jumped out before the obese man could overpower him with his immense jaw strength.

"This guy's tough," Luffy scowled.

"Straw Hat," Chopper said. "How much damage can you do in three minutes?"

"A lot. Why?"

"That's our time limit." The animal doctor brought out a small, yellow pill that he placed in his mouth. "Rumble." He chomped down.

"It doesn't matter what you eat!" Wapol declared. "I'll just eat you before you can do anything!"

"The Rumble Ball," Chopper told Luffy, "is a drug that increases my Devil Fruit powers for three minutes, giving me seven different transformations. The clock is ticking."

"Then let's go! Gum-Gum Whip!" Luffy threw his left leg out, the stretched appendage coming around toward their opponent. Wapol was forced to jump up to avoid the attack, a move that chopper took advantage of. He'd begun running in his Walk Point as Luffy's leg headed toward the man. When Wapol was forced to jump, the reindeer shifted into his Jump Point, calling out the name of the form as he did so. He came to eye-level with the tyrant.

"Arm Point!" Chopper yelled, changing form again. His arms became ridiculously over-muscled and he readied them for an attack. "Carving Hoof Diamond!" Chopper's hooves met Wapol's crossed arms, leaving a diamond shape and throwing the man away.

Luffy attacked next. He threw his right foot into the air before bringing it down toward the man with a cry of "Gum-Gum Battle Ax!" Unfortunately, Wapol had fought his own share of fights and was no amateur. He caught the pirate's foot in his mouth (as nasty as that sounds) and spun him around. The man released Luffy, sending him flying toward Chopper.

"Guard Point!" Chopper called as the Straw Hat captain neared. His form shifted, fur growing until the deer seemed to only be a large, brown, furry ball. The hair caught Luffy, padding the collision.

"Thanks," Luffy told him, sliding to the ground. "What now?"

"Throw me," Chopper ordered, shedding his furry form. "Throw me as hard as you can."

"Sure." He picked up the small doctor. "Gum-Gum Cannon!" Much like performing a Gum-Gum Bazooka, Luffy thrust his hands forward, shooting Chopper forward faster than his own legs ever could.

"Horn Point!" Chopper's shape changed again, his antlers growing as he moved through the air toward Wapol. The king only laughed as the reindeer headed his way.

"I always did enjoy fast food!" Wapol laughed. He opened his mouth, ready to catch the doctor inside and swallow him. But just as Chopper neared his mouth...

"Heavy Point!" Chopper shifted into his largest form, his hands and feet catching and holding onto the king's teeth. The horns had been a feign, the king realized. Wapol tried to close his mouth, but the Devil-Fruit-using reindeer held firm. "Straw Hat! Now!" Luffy dashed toward the two, pushing his arms backwards for an attack.

Neither Luffy or Chopper were ready when Wapol's tongue turned into a cannon.

"Tongue Cannon!" the tyrant called. The aptly-named attack worked, the cannonball that shot out slamming into the reindeer's solar plexus and launching him away. The king then swung at the stunned pirate, decking him with a right hook.

"I-I don't understand," Chopper stuttered from where he'd landed.

"You fools! My Chomp-Chomp powers go further than you think! Anything I eat becomes part of my body!"

"This just got a lot harder," Chopper muttered, shrinking to his default form, Brain Point. "And we have less than a minute left. Straw Hat, can you hold him off for 30 seconds?"

"Sure thing, Chopper." He ran forward. In response, Wapol tried to take potshots at him using his Tongue Cannon. Luffy avoided the first few before deflecting one that would have hit Chopper with a Gum-Gum Balloon.

"Scope," Chopper declared, placing his hooves together. He began to analyze their opponent, looking for his weakness.

"Gum-Gum Barrage!" Luffy yelled, rushing toward Wapol. "Whip!" Wapol jumped. "Pistol!" The king was able to divert the attack to the left. "Battle Ax!" Wapol hopped to his left, leaving Luffy's foot the implant itself in the ground. The pirate used this leverage to pull himself forward with his right arm outstretched. "Sickle!" Wapol chomped down on the limb, but Luffy's rubber body prevented it from doing any damage. Straw Hat brought his other arm up the bring it down on the king's head, but Wapol used the bricks from the house he'd eaten in Big Horn to turn his skull into bricks. Still, the attack hurt.

"Is it the body?" Chopper asked himself as Luffy attacked. "No, that's not it. The legs? No. Arms? That's not it either. Wait... That's it! Straw Hat! Force his mouth open and hold him still!"

"Okay!" Luffy chose not to question the command. His right arm was still stuck in his opponent's mouth, but that only meant he had more leverage. The teen twisted himself around the man and pried his mouth open with his free hand. Wapol was stuck and Chopper was near the end of his three minutes.

5...

He rushed in. Wapol tried to shoot him with a cannonball, but he was out of ammo.

4...

"Arm Point!"

3...

The reindeer pulled his oversized arms back for maximum impact. Wapol tried to wiggle away to no avail.

2...

"Carving Hoof Cross!"

1...

Chopper's hooves slammed into Wapol's uvula. He gagged, the force of the attack hitting his weakest point without hindrance. The hit did not knock him out, but it came damn-near close.

"Let me handle this, Chopper," Luffy insisted as the Zoan Type user shrunk back into his preferred form. "I'll send him so far; he'll never see this island again."

"Okay." The reindeer doctor backed away slowly as Luffy detached himself from Wapol. The king staggered, barely conscience.

"GUM-GUM... BAZOOKA!" Luffy's arms snapped forward, breaking the sound barrier near the end. They hit Wapol with enough force to topple two buildings, sending the man into the sky. He vanished into the distance.

"He's..." Chopper began. "He's gone. Th-thank you, Straw Hat."

"It was nothing," Luffy responded. "After all, that's what friends are for."

 ***Announcer voice* RING OUT!**

 **Luffy and Chopper vs. Wapol**

 **Winners: Luffy and Chopper**

 **End of Chapter 29**

* * *

 **Let's be honest for a moment. When it comes to Wapol and his men, they were weaker than most, if not all, of the East Blue villains. The only reason they stood any chance was because of Wapol's powers. Plus Canon Sanji beat Chessmarimo rather easily, so keeping them separate made them that much weaker. I still hope they were good fight scenes.**

 **I'll also be keeping track of how many _official/confirmed_ kills each member has throughout the course of the story, meaning characters that we got to know, not thugs, grunts, or ordinary solders. That Whisky Peak fiasco? Nothing confirmed (Gin _did_ kill people, though. Zoro too, probably). The count won't be that high, but still.**

 **Luffy's kills: 1**

 **Coby's kills: 1**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	30. Doctors, Departures, and Tattoos, Oh My!

**I'll be honest. This chapter really isn't that impressive. It's mostly just the Canon that wraps up the Drum Island Arc. The only real difference is at the very end where I added in an idea that I barrowed (with permission) from _Bluejay Blaze_ 's _One Piece, Two Piece, Red Piece, Blue Piece_. If you want to just skip the Straw Hats leaving, just scroll down to the last Line Break. Anyway, see you all next Monday!**

* * *

 **Chapter 30:**

 **Doctors, Departures, and Tattoos, Oh My!**

 _"GUM-GUM... BAZOOKA!" Luffy's arms snapped forward, breaking the sound barrier near the end. They hit Wapol with enough force to topple two buildings, sending the man into the sky. He vanished into the distance._

 _"He's..." Chopper began. "He's gone. Th-thank you, Straw Hat."_

 _"It was nothing," Luffy responded. "After all, that's what friends are for."_

"He called me his friend," Chopper whispered to himself, staring at the rubber-man as he wandered over to Coby and Sanji to ask how their fights went. Despite being quiet, Doctor Kureha still heard him from where she was approaching.

"Doctorine," the reindeer said as she finally reached him. "I want to go with these pirates."

"Why the Hell would you want to do that?" she asked.

"Doctor Hiriluk always said that I'd have to go out to sea at some point, that there's only so much I can learn on one island." Kureha was about to respond, but the words never got out as a door in the snow opened, spitting out several people.

* * *

 **(earlier)**

Dalton awoke to the comfort of his own bed, a fire crackling away in the fireplace. Looking around, there was nothing out of the ordinary, so why did he feel like something was wrong? Suddenly, it all came back to him. Wapol was back.

Forcing himself out of his bed, Dalton took note of the healing scars on his chest, but he chose to disregard both them and the pain he was in. Shrugging on his coat and grabbing his weapon, Dalton staggered out the door.

The pirates were just outside Dalton's home, watching as the 20 MDs patched up the citizens of Drum from whatever injuries they had received from Wapol's tirade through the town. From what the doctors had said, Dalton's surgery, while dangerous and rather risky, had gone off without a hitch. The island's self-proclaimed protector wasn't due to wake up until any time after the Straw Hats left, no matter how few days that may be. However, their conversation about Luffy and the others ground to a halt as the sound of ragged breathing made its way out of the house. Dalton leaned heavily on the door frame once he reached it, the short walk from the bed to the entrance sapping most of her energy.

"Dalton!" Vivi cried. "What are you doing up already? The doctors said you wouldn't be awake for another two days!" Her yelling ended up attracting the attention of several villagers who were either passing by or waiting for treatment for not-life-threatening injuries.

"No," Dalton urged, pushing off of the doorway. "I don't have time to rest. I have to stop Wapol. What kind of protector would I be if I couldn't?"

"A human one," Vivi answered in a stern voice, her hands falling to rest on her hips. "Now get back in that house."

"I can't. Not while _that man_ is still on the island."

"He went toward the mountains," Nami commented with a wave. "Even if you were in top shape, you wouldn't make it in time. Let Luffy and the others handle him."

"No! He's our problem. Not yours."

"He became our problem when he attacked our ship," Zoro rebuffed, "so we'll handle him our way."

"Still," Dolton shook his head, "I won't, can't, rest easy until he's dealt with."

"Fine!" Usopp responded. "I, the great Captain Usopp, will carry you up the mountain, then!" His voice was full of confidence. His knees were not.

"You?" Amy laughed. "My little sister could probably carry him further while she was sick than you could at full health. Kyahaha!"

"Even if we are going up the mountain" Nami spoke up, "which is only a maybe, we still don't know how to get up there."

"You could take the trolley," one of the villages commented.

"What trolley?" Dalton questioned. "There hasn't been a connected trolley since Wapol left."

"Well obviously someone reconnected one," the man shot back. "You can see it from here." He pointed. In the distance what a curved line connecting the top of the mountain to a point somewhere in the east. Now knowing their goal, Zoro lifted Dalton off the ground and began carrying him off.

"Where are you going?" Nami asked.

"The trolley. Obviously."

"It's the other way," Usopp commented.

"What?" Zoro gasped. "Someone must have moved it."

* * *

 **(now)**

"Nami!" Luffy yelled, wrapping the girl in a hug. She happily hugged him back.

"Zoro-sensei!" Coby greeted, running over to the man.

"Nami-swan! Vivi-chwan! Amy-chwan!" Sanji noodled.

"What am I, chopped liver?" Usopp muttered, him having been the only person without a warm welcome.

"Oh, guys!" Luffy said excitedly, detaching himself from his girlfriend. "I found us a doctor!" His words were met with positive response. Nami glanced down as something in the snow glittered, catching her attention. She bent down and picked up a key. Shrugging, she stuffed it in her coat pocket and followed the group over to meet the doctor Luffy had chosen to recruit.

Chopper shuffled nervously as the group approached him. Kureha had left a minute or so before, the... _young..._ woman having dragged Dalton into the castle as soon as she'd seen his injuries. Having chosen to join Luffy meant that these people, these pirates, would be his family from that moment forward and he was having second thoughts. What if they didn't want him because he wasn't human?

"Alright, Chopper," Luffy began. "This is the rest of the crew. We've got Zoro, Coby's teacher, Usopp, our sniper, Amy, Grace's sister and the other Devil Fruit user I mentioned, and finally my girlfriend Nami, our navigator. Traveling with us for the time being is Vivi, the princess of Alabasta. Guys, this is Chopper. He's a reindeer!"

"He's so cute!" Nami and Vivi gushed.

"Shut up~!" Chopper sang, suddenly bashful rather than nervous. "You saying that doesn't make me happy~!"

* * *

"Get back here, Chopper!" Kureha yelled, weapons of various shapes and sizes whizzing past the fleeing reindeer's head. Nami had bribed the woman into letting them leave with the key she'd found outside which turned out to be the key for Wapol's armory. The pirates were preparing to make their exit and were waiting outside, but Chopper had wanted to say goodbye to the woman who'd finished his medical education. Obviously, she still wasn't a fan of his decision to leave in order to become a pirate. "You're not leaving me!"

"Get in the sleigh!" Chopper yelled at the crew as he ran toward them, dodging projectiles while pulling the sleigh he'd used to tote Doctor Kureha around for the last several years. Deciding that there was no time to question it, most of the crew grabbed a spot in the vehicle while Amy floated, pulled along by Gin holding her parasol. Without pausing, Chopper reached the rope the trolley had come up on and jumped. Kureha stopped at the edge of the mountain, watching them go.

"Are you sure that was the best way to see him off?" Dalton questioned beside her.

"Any softer and he'd be homesick before they reached Alabasta," Kureha answered. "Now what are you doing out of bed? Get back inside! And you guys! Get some cannons out!"

* * *

The pirates stopped in a clearing a couple miles away from the mountain, the castle visible through a break in the trees. Everyone was out of breath due to the cold winter air. Suddenly, the booming of cannons reached their ear.

"What the Hell?" Zoro questioned, grabbing his swords. "Is that old hag trying to shoot us from up there?"

"Impossible," Nami denied. "Cannon don't have enough range, even with higher ground. Plus they couldn't see anything through that storm." More booms sounded, but these came from over the castle. The cannonballs had exploded, the pink powder they were filled with sticking to the snow around them. The castle and its surroundings were covered in pink, giving it the appearance of a giant cherry blossom tree.

Chopper cried for 15 minutes.

* * *

"Oh no!" Chopper fretted, the former Drum Kingdom fading into the distance behind them. The Straw Hats had reached their ship and set sail quickly, only the newest member looking back on the island they'd just saved.

"What's wrong?" Coby asked, stepping up next to the panicking reindeer.

"I left my medical bag behind!"

"You mean this?" Nami held up a blue bag with a white X, the accessory sized for Chopper's smallest form.

"Yes, but... Where did you find it?"

"It was in the sleigh. I thought you'd packed it."

Chopper shook his head before turning back the island. "Doctorine," he whispered.

"To our new crewmates!" Luffy cheered, a mug of some drink in his hand. The Straw Hat Pirates were celebrating Chopper's joining and, since the sisters hadn't gotten a party after Little Garden, they were lumped in, too. Several hours passed, leaving most of the crew somewhat out-of-it.

"Hey, Gin," Zoro slurred, trying his best to not spill what was in all likelihood his 15th mug. "I need ya to do somethin' fer me."

"What is it?" the former Krieg pirate asked, holding his composure better than his inebriated friend. That might have only been because he'd drunk only half as much as the swordsman. "What do you need?"

"You said you did tattoos, right?" Gin nodded. "Then I want'cha to give me a tattoo right here." Zoro pointed to the bicep on his right arm and downed the rest of his mug. "I want'cha ta give me a skull with two crossed swords behind it... and a sword in its mouth... and my bandana."

"Sure. I can do that," the man answered. Gin retrieved his tools and got to work. The process attracted the attention of many others, leading everyone to get their own tattoos, each unique to themselves.

Luffy simply got the symbol of the Straw Hat Pirates on his left shoulder blade. Nami's skull had Beri signs for eyes and was sticking its tongue out. It went right in the middle of her existing tattoo. Usopp's had a long nose, his bandana, and a slingshot. It went on his left arm. Sanji's went on his left shoulder blade and had his signature eyebrow, a chef hat, a crossed fork and knife, and a cigarette. Chopper chose to get Doctor Hiriluk's flag on his right shoulder blade. Coby decided on a triceratops skull with crossed swords on his right shoulder. Grace received a skull with her pigtails and crossed paint brushes on her left arm. Amy decided on a skull with her usual hat, lemon earrings, and an open parasol behind. She had it placed on her left arm like her sister. Even Vivi got swept into the inking; she had a small skull with a crown and her bright-blue hair in a high ponytail tattooed on her upper right arm by the shoulder where is could be easily hidden. Finally, Gin finished with his own tattoo on his left arm, a skull with his headband and crossed weighted tonfa.

Just like that, every one of the Straw Hat Pirates, official members or otherwise, had their own personal jolly roger that would never come off. They proudly showed off their new ink to everyone else and the world.

 **End of Chapter 30**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	31. Arrival In Alabasta

**Here we go, straight into Alabasta. Also straight to the point; I want nine (9) Reviews this time. No prob, right?**

 **On an unrelated note, I finally came in contact with one of _those_ Guests. You know, the kind that needs to try to put others down because they have no self-esteem of their own. The nerve of some people.**

* * *

 **Chapter 31:**

 **Bon Clay and Fire Fist, Arrival in Alabasta**

"I guess we have to catch you up to speed," Nami said the next morning as most of the men cleaned up after the party the night before. The two that were not, Coby and Gin, we're on lookout and steering respectively. The ship was sailing for Alabasta quickly, so Chopper needed to know what they were doing. "We're headed for Alabasta, Vivi's home country, which is caught in a civil war caused by a man named Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."

"So this guy is bad news?" the reindeer asked.

"Really bad news," Vivi answered him. "He's in charge of a secret, underground crime syndicate known as Baroque Works." At this point, Grace and Amy gained sheepish looks, Grace doing so with one of her beloved rice crackers in her mouth. "He leads them with the alias Mr. 0. Under him are 12 male agents with female partners and two animals. These agents are the best of the best ranging from the Mr. 1 pair to the Mr. 12 pair and the animal pair number 13, the Unluckies. However, Sanji killed them when they attacked him on Little Garden. I don't really know much about the top dogs except their codenames. Mr. 1 is paired with Ms. Doublefinger. Mr. 2 has no partner. Mr. 3 was paired with Grace until she joined us. Mr. 4 is paired with Ms. Merrychristmas. And Mr. 5 was paired with Amy. Last we know, both Mr. 3 and Mr. 5 were left on Little Garden."

"So you two use to be part of this Baroque Works?" Chopper asked the sisters.

"We weren't the only ones," Amy defended. "The princess here went by the name Ms. Wednesday for the last two years. Besides, we really didn't have a choice in the matter."

"Really?" Nami asked. "Why not?"

"It involves why we're out at sea," Amy sighed, hugging Grace close. "Three years ago, I turned sixteen and Grace turned nine. We lived in a small village in the South Blue known as Green Bank. It is, or was, really small. Only about 200 people lived there, give or take, so if one person got sick, so did quite a bit of the town, too. One winter, a virus worked its way into Green Bank and quickly killed off most of the village, mine and Grace's parents included. Luckily, I was able to survive it and Grace didn't get sick. The orphans banded together, 17 of us. We lived just outside of town, avoiding the sick.

"Unfortunately, that's what led to us getting kidnapped. A band of pirates known as the Greedy Dog Pirates attacked the town. When they found out that most of the villagers were dead or dying, they took everything they could and abducted the children to sell as slaves here in the Grand Line. They entered the Grand Line with us held in their cargo hold and chose Whisky Peak as their first destination. When they arrived, they were slaughtered by Baroque Works and we were freed. That's why we were part of their syndicate until we learned the truth of Mr. 0... er, Crocodile's plan."

"That's awful," Vivi cried while Chopper gained a sad look in his eye.

"Do you happen to know the name of the disease?"

"No, I don't," Amy answered with a shake of her head. "I don't remember a lot of that time. I've blocked out most of the memories."

"Well, you're with us now," Nami smiled. "We'll be your new home. I'm sorry for not trusting you. Can we start over?" She held out her hand. "Hi. I'm Nami from Cocoyashi Village in the East Blue and I'm the navigator. I like money, tangerines, and my boyfriend, Luffy. I hate people that use others. I want to draw a map of the whole world." Amy took her hand.

"I'm Amy Palant from the South Blue. I like chocolate and my little sister Grace. I dislike most pirates. I'm a sadist, but only to my enemies, and I want to create the world's best-tasting chocolate. This is Grace. She's very lazy and likes tea, rice crackers, and painting. She dislikes work of all kinds with the exception of artwork. She wants to be a famous painter." In response to the last sentence, Grace nodded, still chewing on her cracker.

"Nami!" they heard Coby shout out from the crow's nest where he was on duty. "There's something up ahead! Smoke or something! What should we do?" The navigator moved to the front of the ship, the sisters, Vivi, and Chopper following out of curiosity. In the path of the ship was a column of greenish-blue/white gas floating up from the ocean. While she had never seen it before, Nami had read about it enough to recognize it.

"Don't worry about it!" she yelled back to him. "It's just steam from an underwater volcano! Thousands of years from now, it'll be an island!"

"Gotcha!" the boy called back.

"The ocean really is amazing," Chopper gaped. They sailed into the steam, gagging at the sulfur-like smell it exuded. Halfway through, they heard yelling from off to the starboard side.

"Help!" it called. "Help me! I'm in the water!" Luffy ran to the side, squinting into the steam to try to find the person in need. A flailing shadow caught his eye and he threw his arm out to grab it. The person he rescued had black hair slicked back to reveal his ovular face covered in make-up ruined by the water. His clothes were ridiculous shades of pink and blue and mascara lined his eyes. Two decorations shaped like swans sat on his shoulders and his pink coat read "Bon Clay" on the back in kanji. His hairy legs were exposed to the world and his feet were clad in ballerina shoes.

Amy recognized him instantly and drug Grace into the kitchen where Gin was working as acting helmsman while on mandatory, light-work probation until Chopper cleared him. All the alcohol they'd had the night before was not good for his overall healing.

"Oh!" the rescued man called out in a forced high-pitch voice as the ship sailed out of the noxious steam. "I was so sure I was a goner! Thank you ever so much for saving me!"

"What were you doing in the sea like that?" Usopp asked.

"Alas! I had fallen off my ship in this dense fog when one of my leaps went too far. I would have died had you all not come along." The man began practicing ballet.

"Do you know where your ship is?" Sanji questioned, slightly repulsed by the man.

"Alas, I do not. I suppose I will have to wait here for them to find me. To pass the time, would you like to see a special trick?"

"A trick?!" Luffy gasped. Chopper and Usopp joined him in his excitement.

"Yes, it goes like so!" He smacked Luffy with his right hand.

"Hey!" Luffy yelled.

"And now!" the man put his right hand to his face before he changed into an exact copy of Luffy with the exception of his clothes or anything not seen under them like his new tattoo. Bon Clay then proceeded to tap Usopp, Chopper, a sleeping Zoro, and Nami. "Due to the power of my Devil Fruit," -he turned into Usopp, copying his voice as well- "I can mimic any person I have touched or memorized the face of." He changed into Chopper. "This is the power of the Clone-Clone Fruit." He changed into Zoro before becoming Nami. "I can not only copy faces, but also visible body parts as well." He opened his robe to reveal his copied version of Nami's chest. Both Luffy and Sanji were blown back by nosebleeds while everyone else blushed.

"That's not ok!" Nami screamed, punching the visitor over the head. The force of the blow seemed to break his concentration, forcing him back to his original appearance.

Luffy, recovering quickly, jumped back to his feet. "Do some more!" he requested.

"I suppose I have time," he man relented. He proceeded to change his face into those of many individuals including a bald man with a very round face, a woman with red hair and a large beauty spot, and a tan, aged man with curly black hair, sharp eyes, and a well-trimmed beard. After changing into himself again, he danced with the Gullible Three (Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper) and sang about friendship.

Vivi was visibly shaken. She stared at the man with horror, not because of his dancing (which was pretty bad), but because she had seen the face of her father. She knew this man, but should she say anything?

"Sir!" a new voice called out. A pink ship with a swan figurehead had pulled up alongside the Merry.

"It seems that my ship is here," the man sighed. "Though I wish to stay, I have many things I must attend to. But! Though our time was short, I will remember you all! We are friends and I have a feeling we will cross paths again! Un, deux, trois!" He leapt to his ship.

"Welcome back, Mr. 2, Mr. Bon Clay, sir!"

The Straw Hats were only able to watch as the man's ship faded into the steam.

"Th-that guy w-was a Baroque Works agent?" Usopp squeaked.

"And he knows our faces," Nami added. "Shit."

* * *

"Alabasta dead ahead!" Sanji called out from the crow's nest. The desert kingdom was steadily growing along with the air temperature. A city could be seen bustling on the shore.

"That should be Nanohana," Vivi announced, fiddling with the wrap on her left forearm. Everyone else on the ship had received a similar wrap after Mr. 2 sailed away. Even if they now had special tattoos, not all of them were hidden by clothing, so the wraps and what was hidden underneath would have to do. "We should be able to stock up on supplies there; we'll need them. We'll have to cross the dessert at some point."

"Whaaa!" Carue quacked. He was pointing to a blue ship anchored near the shore.

"Oh no," Vivi gasped. "That's Mr. 3's ship."

"I thought you said you left him on Little Garden," Chopper commented.

"I guess he and Mr. 5 made their way back here to Alabasta. Who knows what they'll do if we run into them."

"We can't worry about that right now," Nami sighed. She had one hand holding Luffy's collar, preventing him from jumping ship and running off in search of food. "Could one of you please take him?"

"I'll do it," Coby offered. He took the captain from Nami. "I guess Captain Luffy and I are going out to look for food. Would anyone else like to come with us?"

"I'll go," Grace offered. "My paint can calm the captain down if he gets too riled up."

"Thanks, Grace." Luffy gave a particularly hard yank in an attempt to get to shore. "Could you do it now?"

"Colors Trap: Calming Green!"

"Hmm," Luffy hummed with half-lidded eyes. "I'm hungry. Vivi, do you know of any places that sell tea? I'm in the mood for tea."

"We'll go looking, Captain Luffy," Coby insisted. "We just have to drop anchor first."

"Okay."

"Wow," Sanji marveled. "That stuff really works." Grace did not respond. Instead, she held out a list to the chef. "What's this?"

"Ingredients I need," the painter answered. "For paints." Sanji reviewed the list.

"You need rice crackers and green tea as ingredients?"

"No. I need them for food. I'm almost out." In the distance, they heard the telltale splash of Zoro dropping the anchor into the water.

"Come on," Coby told the two. "Let's get going before Luffy's hunger finds a way to override the chemicals you put in his system."

* * *

The Straw Hats had dispersed through the town of Nanohana to do their various tasks. Luffy, Coby, and Grace were wandering through the streets, looking for a restaurant to fill the captain's bottomless pit of a stomach. The others had gone to either browse the stores or stock the Merry. Gin and Amy had chosen to stay on the ship on lookout duty.

Coby glanced around at the bustling town, he and the painter following the sedated but hungry Monkey D. Luffy. The wanted pirate had his eyes closed and was only following the scent of food that worked its way into his nostrils.

"You know," Coby began, trying the start a conversation, "my swords were made here in Alabasta."

"Really?" Grace asked through her last rice cracker. "So you've been here before?"

"No I haven't. I got these in Louge Town just before we sailed over Reverse Mountain. I'd love to find the man who made them, but I doubt I'll be able to."

"That's actually pretty cool," Grace conceded.

"Hey, guys," Luffy said in his sedated voice. "We're here." Before them was a small bar without a visible name. "I don't know why, but I feel like I know someone in there."

"Well let's go in and find out," Coby said. They entered the establishment _calmly,_ drawing no attention to themselves for once. All focus in the bar was on two men having a stare down. One man was standing with his back to the door, the other sitting with his face away from the bar. Luckily, the pirates' entrance drew neither of the men's attention. Knowing Luffy, he would have plowed over both of them without realizing they were there in the first place if he wasn't sedated.

The man who was sitting seemed to be in his late teens to early 20's with a mop of jet-black hair under an orange hat. His grinning face was a splash of freckles under his dark eyes that danced with excitement. He wore no shirt to show off his toned torso and six-pack. His shorts were orange in color to match his hat and khaki-style to provide a plethora of pockets. Completing his outfit were black shoes and hat decorations in the form of a happy face and frowny face pair of buttons.

The man who was standing and his blue jutte were familiar to Luffy, but he rang no bells. Luffy did not see the other man, the form of the white-haired human before him blocking his view. Coby did not recognize him either, having never seen him in Louge Town, however he did realize who the shirtless man was.

"You know, you could just let me go," Fire Fist Ace grinned, his voice causing Luffy to straighten. "I'm not here to start trouble. I'm just looking for someone."

"You know I can't do that," the other man growled. "As a member of the Marines, it is my duty to bring your kind in." Smoke slowly started to rise from the arm holes in the man's jacket, but Luffy saw none of that. He walked around the man, up to the wanted criminal, and hugged him.

"Luffy!" Ace laughed, returning the hug and completely forgetting the Marine Captain itching for a fight. "How are you? Did you get my message?"

"What message?" Luffy asked calmly.

"The one I left on Drum Island. You had to have been there if you're here. Ah, nevermind. Come 'ere you!" He pulled Luffy into a headlock and two began to play-wrestle, much to the surprise of everyone watching. "Luffy? What's wrong? You're acting different than usual."

"It's nothing," Luffy waved aside. "There's paint on my back making me calm. No big deal."

"Well let me fix that." He shifted his hand to the design of the rear of Luffy's shirt and smudged the green paint.

"ACE!" Luffy yelled, tackling the man off of his chair. "I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too, Luffy," Ace laughed, punching him in his rubbery arm.

"Enough!" the marine ordered, getting over the surprise of his main target waltzing in. "Straw Hat Luffy and Fire Fist Ace, you are both under arrest here and now."

"I know you..." Luffy muttered, narrowing his eyes at the man. "Oh! You're Smokey from Lougeville, right?"

"That's Captain Smoker to you!" the man shouted, both of his arms turning to smoke and causing the customers and owner of the establishment to scream and duck for cover. "You may have slipped past me back in Louge Town, but _that_ man isn't here to save you this time! White Snake!" He shot his arm forward to grab the two brothers. Luffy dove to the side while Coby and Grace readied themselves for a fight.

A pillar of fire met the smoke head on, the two attacks cancelling out each other and raising the temperature in the room by a few degrees. It also put a hole in the ceiling.

"Ah ah ah," Ace taunted, wagging his burning finger. "I can't have you touching either me or my little brother."

"Little brother?!" Smoker, Coby, and Grace gasped in unison.

"Cool!" Luffy exclaimed. "Did you eat a Devil Fruit, Ace?"

"That I did," the captain's brother responded. "It's called the Flame-Flame Fruit."

"Oh, Ace! I want you to meet my crew! I've got my own ship and everything!"

"How about later, Luffy?" Ace questioned, gesturing at the angry marine.

"Don't worry about him," Luffy shrugged. "I'm sure someone else will handle him."

"Why you!" Smoker threw another gaseous punch to bring the pirates to justice...

...and watched in confusion as his fist was redirected to a red design on the floor behind him.

"What?!" he yelled in outrage, trying to attack and only hitting the red paint.

"Colors Trap," a girl's voice yawned. "Bullfight Red."

"Who are-?"

"Come on!" Luffy yelled, cutting the marine off. He grabbed Ace's wrist and took off, dragging him behind and out the door.

"Do I have to walk?" Grace whined, one of her lazy fits acting up since Smoker was still attacking the ground. "I don't want to and I'm still hungry."

"What?" Coby asked, confused by her attitude. "We don't have time for this." She stared at the food on the counter, not even bothering to speak. Coby sighed. "Fine. What do you want?"

"Onigiri, please." He walked up to the owner under the angry glare of Marine Captain Smoker.

"Four rice balls, please." The man shakily loaded the ordered food onto a disposable plate and handed it to the rosette. Coby left the money for the food on the counter and walked back to Grace. She accepted the rice balls and happily munched on one. Coby walked up to the marine.

"Marine Captain Smoker!" he said, throwing up a salute more impressive than any Smoker had seen before, much to his confusion. "Thank you for your service. I wish for you to know that once upon a time, I wanted to be a marine. That was before I realized that the government was corrupt and that I could do more good outside the law than within it. Please consider my words and do not blindly follow your orders. Thank you."

"What was that about?" Grace asked as Coby passed.

"Well I..." He stopped. Grace was not following him. "Come on."

"I don't want to walk," she whined.

"But-! …Fine, whatever. I'll carry you back to the ship." The lazy artist climbed onto the swordsman's back, her snack in one hand and her pallet and brush in the other. Coby walked out of the restaurant, feeling the eyes of all of the customers on him. As he exited, he barely heard one man say "Poor kid. He's so whipped and he doesn't even know it."

Despite Coby telling Grace of his reasons for talking with Smoker, he blushed from the accusation all the way back to the Going Merry.

 **End of Chapter 31**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	32. Fleeing From Nanohana

**Chapter 32:**

 **Fleeing from Nanohana**

In the shopping district, Sanji, Zoro, Usopp, Nami, Vivi, and Chopper were looking for the supplies they and the rest of the crew would need. Chopper and Sanji had branched off to find food, water, and dessert clothing, but had gotten separated due to Sanji's pervy tendencies. Zoro was perusing for sword-maintenance supplies. The girls were simply hanging around in some ruins near the center of town, Vivi wearing a veil so as to not attract attention. Usopp had gone off on his own as soon as the crew has disembarked, muttering something too low to hear, and they had not seen him since.

"Nami-swan!" Sanji called, noodling over to where she and Vivi were standing within the remains of a building that had fallen in a sandstorm. "Vivi-chwan! I got the clothes you wanted!"

"But these are dancer outfits," Vivi tried to protest. It was to no avail as she and Nami were soon dressed in the exposing clothing.

"Aren't they lovely?!" Sanji questioned excitedly, blood dripping from his right nostril. "I got one for Amy-chan as well, but I couldn't find one little enough for Grace."

"You better not have!" Vivi argued, a rightious fist coming down to punch the chef into the ground. "Grace doesn't need to be wearing an outfit like this! She's too young!"

"I'm sure Coby wouldn't have minded," Nami laughed.

"What do you mean?"

"You mean you haven't noticed?" Nami gasped. "How oblivious are you, Vivi? It's obvious those two are into each other."

"I... ah... um..." Vivi floundered, looking for a new topic of conversation. "Hey, where's Tony?"

Nami blinked. "Vivi's right. Chopper's missing. Where is he, Sanji?"

"I don't know," the cook answered with a shrug. "He wandered off somewhere." Their conversation ended when both Zoro and Usopp, who was loaded down with bags, ran in and crouched behind one of the standing walls. "What are you doing, Moss-Head?"

"Shut up," Zoro growled, peeking around the wall.

"Bad news, guys," Usopp wheezed. "The Marines are here. And I think they're after us."

"Really?" Vivi asked. "Why?"

"It's the Marines from Louge Town," Usopp answered, causing Nami and Sanji to stiffen.

"How are we going to find Luffy?" Nami whisper-yelled.

"He hasn't made a mess, yet," Sanji offered, "so I guess Grace's paint is still in effect. Hopefully Coby can get them back to the ship without a problem." The group continued to watch as Sergeant Major Tashigi, the woman Zoro was hiding from, scanned the street.

"What are you all doing?" Chopper asked. His sudden appearance shocked the five, causing the girls to scream and the men to forget about cover.

"I heard screaming!" they heard Tashigi yell down the street. She and her men started heading in their direction before she caught sight of Zoro's telltale green hair and paused. "Roooooraaaanoaaaaaaa!" she yelled angrily.

"Dammit, Chopper!" Zoro scolded as the group of six took off with the marines in pursuit.

"Don't let them get away!" Tashigi yelled. "Get back here and fight like a man, Roranoa!"

"Split up," Vivi suggested. "We'll meet up at the ship."

"Chopper, you're with Zoro," Nami ordered. "Go!" Each person went in their own direction, finding a roundabout path back to the docks.

* * *

"Luffy?!" Ace called over the sounds of the city. "Do you even know where your ship is?!"

"Uh..." Luffy responded. "Give me a sec." He released Ace none too softly and stretched up to the top of one of the higher buildings. Scanning the surrounding area, he caught sight of the Merry in the docks. "Found it!"

Luffy jumped down to land next to his brother. The two were surrounded by men of all different types who seemed to be following a large man loaded down with weapons. That man chuckled.

"Well well well. If it isn't both Fire Fist Ace and Straw Hat Luffy. Two wanted pirates ripe for the taking. Killing both of you would guarantee me a promotion."

"Who are you?" Luffy asked.

"Right now I'm a Billion, but after killing you, I'll be a number agent. Men, fire!" The people surrounding the two cocked their guns and let loose with all the bullets they had.

They had no effect.

The bullets did nothing to Ace, him being made of fire causing the lead to go right through him. When the bullets hit Luffy, they stretched his skin before being thrown back.

"What the Hell?" one of the men yelled out before being stuck by a red-hot bullet from an agent on the opposite side that had gone through Ace. The man in the lead rushed forward with a sword, ready to cut the two brothers to ribbons. Ace caught his weapon with two fingers covered in a black substance. He met the man's eyes and smirked.

"Gum-Gum Bazooka!" Luffy shouted, his stretched arms hitting the man and throwing him off into the dessert. "That was a boring fight," Luffy complained.

"They just don't make 'em how they used to, eh Luffy?" The brothers walked back rather casually, Luffy trying to remember their way while he and Ace beat off the remaining thugs.

"Is it just me, or does this feel pretty nostalgic?" Luffy asked, jumping over two men that tried to tackle him.

"Where did you learn a word like 'nostalgic'?" Ace replied, punching a man in the face.

"From my girlfriend," the younger of the two responded, nonchalantly flipping over one of the shorter Billions. Ace stopped in shock at the simple answer, three swords passing through his fire-y body. He jumped up and kicked all three men away before catching up with Luffy.

"You've got a girlfriend?" he asked incredulously. "Since when? What's her name? What's she like? Will I get to meet her?"

"'Course you will," Luffy laughed, knocking the last Billion unconscious with a punch to the face. "She's our navigator, Nami. She's got these really pretty brown eyes and orange hair. I rescued her from a fishman named Arlong a while back in the East Blue."

"You beat Arlong? I guess that explains your bounty."

"Yeah, but my whole crew is really interesting. We've got two swordsmen, one that fights with three swords and wants to be the world's greatest swordsman and his student who fights with two and can turn into a dinosaur. Then we've got our perverted cook, Sanji. I got him from a floating restaurant. At the same time, I recruited a member from the Krieg" -he spat out the name- "Pirates named Gin. And we've got a liar who's a really good shot. After getting to the Grand Line, I gained three more members. Two of them are sisters, one with a Devil Fruit, and a doctor. Get this! Our doctor is a reindeer."

Ace laughed. "You don't say. That's, what, ten of you? I guess that's a pretty good-sized crew you got there."

"Yeah, but I'm still looking for a musician."

"Would you consider joining the Whitebeard Pirates?"

"You know Whitebeard?" Luffy may be oblivious to most things, but even he'd heard of the famous Whitebeard.

"Yeah, I'm a member of his crew. See this mark?" The flame-man gestured to his back which was covered in a tattoo of Whitebeard's famous jolly roger, a skull with a large white mustache over a cross of the same color. "This here is my pride and joy. He's like a father to me. That's why I'm going to help him become the King of the Pirates. Sorry, Luffy."

"I guess I'll just have to fight him then." Ace only laughed in response. They made it to the dock and walked along calmly (by Luffy standards). There were many ships docked of all makes and models. One such ship they passed was a Marine ship that sat still and silent. Apparently, all of the marines were in the town doing something. Probably chasing pirates, the poor bastards.

"And here we are!" Luffy cheered. He stretched out toward a caravel with a ram figurehead, shocking many of the dock workers. "I'm back! And I've got company!" Ace ran after his little brother.

"Don Luffy," Gin greeted as the captain landed on the deck. "No problems to report."

"Who's that?" Amy called from the crow's nest. Ace reached the ship and jumped on deck with a single fire-powered leap. Amy blushed at his physique as she floated down.

"This is my brother, Ace," Luffy answered, surprising them. "Ace, these are Amy and Gin. Where's everyone else?" The last question was directed to Gin who was trying to pick his jaw up off of the ground. _Luffy has a brother?_

"A better question is: where are my little sister and Pinky?" Luffy opened his mouth to answer, but no words came forth for a few seconds.

"I'm sure they'll be fine," his offered meekly.

"Captain Luffy!" Coby's voice called from the docks. Luffy dashed to the side, away from the angered blonde, and threw his arm down. The rosette stepped to the side and grabbed the appendage that hit the dock next to him, him and Grace being pulled along as Luffy's arm retracted. Amy was on them as soon as he landed with Grace on his back.

"Why are you carrying my little sister?" she demanded angrily.

"She didn't want to walk," Coby tried to defend himself. As Amy grilled him, Grace slipped off Coby's back and walked over to Ace. She tugged on his arm, a rice ball in her mouth.

"Hmm?" He looked down at the diminutive redhead wearing a pink cowboy hat.

"I like your hat," she said simply causing Ace to laugh again.

"Hey, Amy," Luffy said. "Can you tell where the others are? I want them to meet my brother."

"Sure," she answered, begrudgingly letting Coby off with a warning. "Gin, could you give me a wind?" The former Krieg pirate brought out one of his tonfa and started spinning, kicking up a nice breeze. Amy opened her umbrella and reduced her weight, floating up to see all of the city. "The Marines are after them!" she called down to her captain.

"Really?" he yelled back. "How close are they?"

"Nami and Vivi are almost back. They're on the docks and have lost the ones chasing them. Usopp and Sanji aren't that far behind. They've still got a couple on their tails. Zoro and Chopper are trying to lose most of them and are being chased by a woman with a sword."

"That sounds like the woman from Louge Town," Gin chimed in. "Takashi or something?"

"Must be," Luffy said. "We saw Smokey earlier. Aww, dammit, that reminds me. I didn't get any food."

"Now isn't the time for that, Captain Luffy," Coby chastised. "Can you stretch me and you up to the crow's nest and throw me toward Zoro-sensei?"

"I can do that." Luffy did as bid, pulling them both up and preparing to throw the boy. "Ready? Gum-Gum Cannon!" Coby went flying toward the scene of the chase, swapping into his Hybrid Mode before his Dino Mode to gradually increase his weight. He hit the ground between the doctor and the swordsman and their pursuers

Having not been prepared for his entrance, Tashigi and the other marines ran into Coby's flank, nearly knocking him over. Coby turned to face them and let out a fearsome roar which caused some of the newer recruits to wet themselves. Tashigi, however, was not a Sergeant Major for nothing. She recovered quickly and unsheathed her blade.

"Coby!" Chopper greeted. "What are you doing here?" The rosette shrunk into his Hybrid Mode and pulled out his own weapons.

"It looked like you two could use a hand," he called over his shoulder.

"Who are you?" Tashigi demanded. "Why are you helping these filthy pirates?"

"Is it illegal to help one's teacher, now?" Coby shot back.

"What? Teacher? But then... You're that kid from Louge Town!"

"I'm much more than that now. I am Coby, a member of the Straw Hat Pirates. Chopper, Zoro-sensei, Captain Luffy wants you both back on the ship so the captain can introduce our new guest. We're leaving as soon as everyone is on board. _She_ will tell us our next move." The two nodded before Chopper sniffed the air and took off in the general direction of the Merry with Zoro following.

"After them!" Tashigi ordered. Her men took off, but before she could join them, Coby forced her to avoid his blades.

"Get out of the way," she growled. "The legendary swords like those of your teacher do not belong in the hands of pirates. Why do you insist on opposing the World Government?"

"I talked with your captain earlier, and like I told him, do not blindly follow your orders, Sergeant Major. We are pirates, yes, but we don't want to pillage or burn or kill."

"What are you getting at, scum?"

"We aren't your enemy until you force us to be. All I wanted was to be a marine when I was younger, but I realized that the whole system was screwed up, so I became a pirate instead. I saw Captain Luffy save two towns, a restaurant, and an island before we even made it to Reverse Mountain. Where were the Marines when these happened in the most peaceful of the Four Blues? They were either slow, hiding, or helping the pirates! Your Colonel Nazumi of Branch 16? He was taking bribes from a pirate who'd been holding an island captive for nearly a decade."

"You're lying!"

"I wish I was!" She didn't hear him. The woman attacked, but Coby blocked with his left sword. She was not deterred, though, and came down with a vertical strike. Coby managed to catch the sword with two of his horns thanks to the woman's anger and a lot of luck, locking the sword in place. Tashigi could not move it for fear of breaking her weapon.

"That's a nice sword," Coby complemented, "but it's not a legendary blade, is it?" He twisted his neck, breaking the blade an inch from the hilt with his horns.

"Shigure!" The steel plunged into the mixture of dirt and sand at Coby's large feet. He spun, hitting the marine with his tail while she was still shocked by her weapon's demise. She fell to the ground several feet away as Coby shrunk down and sheathed his weapons. He turned away.

"Are you not going to kill me, either?!" she yelled angrily. "Why?! Because your teacher won't kill a woman?" she mocked.

"You haven't threatened us," Coby answered in his human form. "You don't meet Captain Luffy's requirements and have not harmed our Nakama. I will not kill you, nor do I want to." He ran off before she could answer, leaving Tashigi with her broken sword and his words.

"Damn piraaaaaates!"

 **End of Chapter 32**

* * *

 **Yes, I understand that a student like Coby shouldn't be able to beat a swordswoman like Tashigi so quickly, but remember: a) _Zoro_ was in charge of his training, b) he had surprise on his side _and_ information that could unhinge her, and c) she would underestimate him, a flaw of many early One Piece characters. Anyway, tell me what you think.**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	33. A Long Journey

**I am tearing through the chapters I have... I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. So status report: I'm halfway through Thriller Bark and there will be _at least_ two major arcs after that one, maybe three, that I still have to plan out and write. As a result of that and my increasing college workload, I'm going to have to stop posting on Wednesdays. Mondays and Fridays, however, are still up unless I get several reviews and/or messages asking me to move the last one to Thursday or something. I'll leave that up to you guys. Either way, I will still post twice a week until I either a) catch up and run out of chapters, or b) complete the first half of my story. The rest will have to come after quite a bit more of the New World is revealed to us.**

 **PS. And just because, I feel like I have to add a new disclaimer. I don't know why; maybe the old one expired or something. Either way, _I do not own One Piece._**

 **Sure wish I did, though. Sure wish I did...**

 **PPS. _"Special Writer Attack: 3,000 Words!"_**

* * *

 **Chapter 33:**

 **Dessert Trek, A Long Journey**

"So this is my older brother, Ace," Luffy introduced as the Merry sailed away from the port of Nanohana. "Ace, this is my crew. That's 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro, his student Coby, our sniper Usopp, our chef Sanji, the 'Man-Demon' Gin, the sisters Amy and Grace, our doctor Chopper (he's a reindeer! Isn't that cool?!), and finally my girlfriend Nami, our navigator."

"Thank you all for being there to care for my little brother," Ace said, bowing. "I know he can be a bit of a handful all of the time. And _you,"_ he indicated Nami, "I wasn't sure if I believed you were real or not. I mean, I was pretty sure when I left three years ago that my brother was asexual." Ace smirked. "So tell me, do his powers change anything in the bed-"

"Nope!" Nami interrupted, her face the same color as the band on Luffy's hat. "We haven't done any of that!"

"Any of what?" Luffy asked. "You know how I sleep, Ace. Why would you ask if my powers changed that?"

"Nevermind," the Whitebeard pirate sighed, slightly put out. How was he supposed to be the embarrassing older brother when his target was completely ignorant of such things? It was very disappointing. "Anyway, I don't think you've introduced me to this other young lady."

"Oh, right. This is Vivi, the princess of Alabasta, and her duck, Carue."

"And what is a princess like yourself doing on a pirate ship?" he asked her.

"Trying to save my homeland," the princess answered honestly, wary of this new pirate. "What is a pirate like you doing in my country?"

"I'm looking for someone by the name of Blackbeard. He was a member of my division, but committed the worst crime a pirate could; he killed a crewmate and jumped ship. Now it's my job to track him down. I'd heard rumors that he was around here."

"Warning!" Usopp called from the crow's nest where he had taken up a position in an attempt to give Ace a good first impression. "There are five ships coming toward us. They're Baroque Works!"

"Let me handle this, Luffy," Ace offered. He hopped off the ship and into his own small boat tied to the Merry. He unhooked it and took off, powering the boat with his Devil Fruit powers. Ace sped toward the ships as fire slowly covered his body.

"Hiken! (Fire Fist!)" A massive ball of fire in the shape of a fist shot out, hurtled toward the closest ship, and made contact. The fire engulfed the ship, burning every man on-board to a crisp and lighting every piece of wood on fire. The Straw Hats watched in awe as he maneuvered his ship to attack the other four vessels, ending all of them and all of their crews in one strike.

"He..." Usopp muttered. "He just killed all those people."

"That's the power of a Whitebeard Division Commander?" Coby wondered in awe. Next to him, Grace dropped her rice cracker.

"That was so cool, Ace!" Luffy shouted.

Ace took his time returning, stopping to show off and do some tricks before his boat was hooked back up to the Going Merry. He climbed onto the ship and was promptly glomped by Luffy. It was slow, but the crew was able to pry their captain off of his brother.

"So where to next?" Zoro asked, slightly annoyed by the delay.

"I need to find my way to Rainbase," Ace stated.

"We're headed in that direction," Vivi offered, a mask of indifference on her face. "We need to go up the Sandora River to start. Then we'll drop anchor by Eramalu and hike through the desert to Yuuba. Last I heard, the Rebels were based there. Rainbase is to the north of Yuuba."

"What are we waiting for?" Coby questioned.

"Let's go!" Luffy cheered. The crew maneuvered the Merry in the direction they needed to go. Once their course was set, Usopp rounded up the crew for an announcement.

"Alright, everyone," he began, trying to pretend he was the captain. "As your wonderful leader, I have made an investment for the crew."

"Oh?" Nami interrupted. "You spent your allowance on something for everyone, not just yourself?"

"Yes I did," he answered smugly, bringing a medium-sized bag out from behind his back. Out of the bag, he pulled a snail small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. This snail was an aqua color and had a mark under its left eye-stock that looked like Luffy's scar. On the side of its white shell, the Straw Hat mark was painted on both sides, the microphone on top stylized to be the hat. To completing its image, Usopp also pulled out a tiny straw hat that looked like Luffy's and placed it on the snail's eyes.

"I got us a den-den mushi!" Usopp smiled. Luffy ran over and gingerly stole the snail phone from Usopp's hand, happily examining it. As he tickled the snail, causing it to wiggle happily, Usopp pulled more presents from his bag, baby den-dens all mounted on watch straps. They had caps labeled from 1 to 14 with little straw hats that Usopp informed them that he'd painted himself. "I was also able to get a batch of baby den-den so we could stay in contact."

"Great thinking!" Chopper gushed, studying the tiny snails.

"Wasn't it, though?" Usopp responded. One could almost see his head getting bigger.

"Yeah," Nami drawled, "except for the fact that it was my idea back when we were on Drum Island and I told him to remind me."

"Well," Luffy began, hopping over to his girlfriend and wrapping an arm around her waist (much to Sanji's chagrin and Ace's satisfaction), the den-den in his other hand, "since it was your idea to get these guys, why don't you name this one?"

"Hmm," she hummed. "How about Shelly."

"Perfect." The baby den-den were passed out as well, each member of the crew getting the one who's number corresponded with their _official_ joining, so Luffy got 1, Zoro- 2, Coby- 3, Usopp- 4, Sanji- 5, Gin- 6, Nami- 7, Grace- 8, Amy- 9, and Chopper- 10. Usopp said that he'd gotten more for the others that would inevitably join, knowing Luffy's... _persuasive_ arguments.

Usopp also admitted that he'd gotten his own personal den-den for calling his girlfriend back on Gecko Island. The fact that he had a significant other shocked the sisters, the doctor, and the princess. Nevertheless, he went to the men's quarters to do just that and inform Kaya that his story of fighting a giant goldfish was, in fact, now true due to the events after Little Garden.

Even if his story role was a _little_ bit bigger than it had been in real life.

* * *

"Hey, Nami," Vivi called out. "Could we stop here for a second?"

"Why?"

"I have a mission for Carue." The Straw Hats dropped anchor by the shore, allowing Vivi, Carue, Luffy, Usopp, and Coby to let themselves on shore. There, they watched as Vivi gave Carue his instructions.

"This is a letter to my father about everything that has happened so far including Crocodile's plans that we uncovered. I trust that you will get it there safely. You have plenty of water for the trip, but conserve it all the same. Go now." Carue saluted the princess and ran off in a cloud of dust, stopping every couple hundred meters to take a gulp from his water supply.

"I said conserve!" Vivi yelled at him. "Not consume!"

"He'll be fine," Coby assured the princess. "I've seen how fast he can run. No one could catch him."

"Yeah." She sounded melancholic. She and her duck hadn't been separated for as long as his mission would take in the last three years. "I know. I'm just worried is all."

"Let's just get going," Usopp offered. "Eramalu shouldn't be that far ahead; we can get there quickly."

"Good idea, Usopp," Luffy complemented. "You all heard him. Raise anchor."

* * *

"Finally!" Luffy exclaimed, ready to jump off the ship. "Time to go kick Crocodile's ass!" Zoro was preparing to drop anchor, that being his assigned duty. There were shadows in the water, but he thought nothing of it and dropped the weight. The anchor hit the water before rebounding into his hand.

"The Hell?" he wondered aloud. He threw the anchor, but it came back to him. Out of the water came a pod of animals that looked like seals with turtle shells. "Turtles?"

"Actually," Luffy commented, "I think they're seals."

"They could be small manatees," Gin suggested.

"They're Kung-Fu Dugongs," Vivi told them. "We can't stop here." The dugong in the lead made several noises, gesturing at the crew the whole time.

"You'll have to beat me in a fight if you want to land here, you bunch of cowards" Chopper translated. "He says," the reindeer added.

"No one calls the brave Captain Usopp a coward!" the sniper declared. He jumped off the ship and onto the rocks...

...and was promptly beaten up by the semi-aquatic martial artists.

"Kung-Fu Dugongs are really strong!" Vivi told him a little too late.

"That wasn't too hard!" Luffy laughed, half of the pod scattered around him.

"Captain Luffy," Coby muttered, rubbing his face.

"Dammit, Luffy," Zoro sighed.

"Luffy!" Vivi cried. "If a Kung-Fu Dugong loses a fight, it becomes the student of the person who beat it! They think you're their master now!"

"Cool!" Luffy laughed. "Hey, Coby! Captain's orders, you're gonna help me train half of these guys!"

"Ugh," Coby groaned. He could hear some of the crew laughing at him. Oh, the pains of being one of the first and most trusted. And of course Luffy would have chosen him; Zoro would have just fallen asleep or something. Nevertheless, the younger Zoan climbed down from the ship to stand beside his captain whom all the animals were bowing before.

"Alright!" Luffy announced. "This is Coby. He'll be teaching any of you that want to learn weapons." With his declaration, about a fifth of the pod split off to dive into the water only to return a few second later, sticks in hand. Begrudgingly, Coby led the smaller group through beginner's exercises as Luffy showed the larger group how he fought. Coby had to admit, they were very fast learners. Soon, he was forced to move on to advanced exercises.

Meanwhile...

"Amy-chan!" Sanji noodled. "I got you some new clothes!" He pulled out a dancer outfit identical to the ones Nami and Vivi were wearing in a yellow color.

"Aww, thanks," she said, giving a fake smile. She took the two-piece outfit, fully intending to burn it and revel in Sanji's tears. The woman headed to the women's quarters, leaving the lovestruck cook behind. Opening the door, Amy found Nami and Grace inside, the latter helping the former into a white robe to cover her blue dancer outfit, a rice cracker in her mouth.

"What are you doing?" the blonde asked.

"Covering up," the navigator answered. "Vivi said that any exposed skin would get sunburnt, so she suggested that we get robes for when we're in the dessert. She and I got one for everyone while we were out in Nanohana." She noticed the clothes Amy was carrying. "I see Sanji gave you the clothes he bought. You can wear them; they're comfy and he won't see anything under your robe anyway."

"If you say so. Could you help me, little sis?" Grace nodded to her older sister.

While that was happening, the other crewmembers were making their own preparations. Chopper was making extra Rumble Balls, Usopp tweaking a special weapon Nami had requested and tested next to him. Sanji was covering Nami's tangerine orchard to protect them from the harsh dessert winds before moving to the kitchens to get food ready for their trip. Gin and Zoro were working in silence in the shade of the mast, maintaining their weapons for the inevitable battle. Vivi, in a dark blue robe, was staring out over the horizon, thinking about Carue, and the war, and her country in general.

As for Ace, he was sleeping on the deck in the bright sunlight, his nose spontaneously combusting in random intervals.

* * *

 **(I'm just going to overview their trek since very few things of interest happened if we cut out the fillers, which I will.)**

The trip to Eramalu was quite boring. Luffy whined through half of it, disappointed that they couldn't bring any of the Kung-Fu Dugongs with them through the dessert, but he gave in in the end due to a mixture of logic and, when that didn't work, violence. The fighting animals were left to guard the Going Merry instead. The city of Eramalu itself was deserted, not a single soul in sight and the buildings crumbling. Vivi told them the sad story of how the City of Green had withered away from the drought and the civil war. The group moved on quickly, there was nothing of value to them there and the ruins were just plain depressing.

The dessert wasn't exactly fun either. It was scorching by day, leading to many fights over conserving water. Chopper ended up having to be carried or drug along due to his fur coat nearly giving him heat stroke. That night was possibly worse for all but the reindeer. The temperature sunk faster than a Devil Fruit user in the ocean, leading to a lot of shivering. Most of the males ended up sleeping in one big pile, Zoro, Sanji, Gin, and Ace sitting on the outside and all the rest knotted up within. The females slept in a separate, much more orderly, bundle.

A sand storm blew in the next morning, burying their tents in sand. The crew was able to dig them out, but it was a pain and a half. They continued to trek onward much like the day before. Eventually, after many hours of travel, they spotted a rocky outcropping that provided shade and decided to eat and renew their strength there before continuing. Within the rocks, they found a gaggle of white birds with distinctive swirl-styled head feathers, all of them looking beaten and bruised. Chopper ran forward to try to help, but Vivi held the others back. She informed them that those birds were thieves that stole from weary travelers. With the realization that the small creature was a doctor, the birds fled, knowing that their injuries were fake.

With the birds gone, the group enjoyed a pleasant meal. Had Luffy not been mellowed out by Coby's influence or his dating Nami, it's possible he could have ended up losing all of their supplies to the conniving avian flock. As it was, though, they didn't have to worry about that.

Their peaceful meal was interrupted by the call of a panicked animal. In the distance, a camel loaded with a saddle could be seen running from a large dust cloud. As the dessert mammal drew closer, the thing chasing it was revealed to be a Sandora Dragon, a purple lizard with razor-sharp teeth and claws, big enough to swallow any of the pirates whole. Luffy decided to rescue the camel by having himself, Sanji, Zoro, and Gin attack the reptile, killing it with one combined blow. Ace ended up killing a second when the first's mate attacked from the other side. The pirate captain extended their lunch so the group could eat the two gargantuan lizards.

"You know," Nami commented to the other women as they watched the males dig in to the one Ace had fast-cooked, "I almost feel bad for the monsters when they end up fighting us."

"I don't," Amy laughed sadistically.

After all the confusion ended, it was made known that the camel and Chopper knew each other from a side trip the reindeer had taken when Sanji left him behind in Nanohana. When Luffy tried to ride him, the camel threw him off before grumbling something.

"I'm sorry," Chopper translated, "but, while I am grateful for you saving me, and while I am willing to carry some of you, only female passengers are allowed. I'm just too macho to carry any men."

"Perverted camel," the men whined in unison.

"What should we name him?" Nami asked.

"Stupid," Luffy suggested, waving his arm.

"Moron," Zoro offered with a yawn.

"Idiot," Sanji growled, glaring at the camel.

"Pervert," Coby grumbled, crossing his arms and pouting.

"Bastard," Gin supplied helpfully.

"Eyelash it is, then," Nami finalized. She, Vivi, Grace, and a one-kilogram Amy boarded the mammal. With their new companion and Zoro carrying Chopper on his shoulder, the crew and their three friends struggled forth.

Yuuba couldn't be that much farther, could it?

 **End of Chapter 33**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	34. Vivi's Tears

**I'll be honest, nothing new really happens in this chapter. Just another Canon chapter. Necessary evil.**

* * *

 **Chapter 34:**

 **Vivi's Tears, Death is a Constant**

As it turned out, Yuuba was farther than the pirates thought. It took six days of traveling to get them to their destination and Ace left on the fourth, a meeting with a bounty hunter and his two sons telling him that Blackbeard had been spotted in the east. Before leaving, Ace gave Luffy a piece of paper and said that it would reunite them one day. The younger brother, taking the paper with equal parts confusion and eagerness, had it sewn into the band of his hat by Nami for safekeeping and waved enthusiastically as his older brother's form slowly faded into the dessert haze.

The town of Yuuba was deserted when they arrived, dried-out plants and crumbling buildings greeting them from under a thick layer of sand as they entered the once-crossroads of Alabastian traders. The pirates wandered into the town silently, more than one of the crew jumpy at the howling wind that blew through the buildings as the dessert sun slowly sunk below the horizon. Vivi openly cried; seeing the town her childhood best friend and his father had gone to start in ruins only built on the despair she'd been feeling more and more as the years since the start of the drought passed by.

The only life they found in the village was an old man digging in the center of town. He was rail-thin, torn clothing hanging off him indicating that he'd lost a lot of weight recently. A bushy, stark-white mustache hung over his upper lip and regular sandals covered his feet. He introduced himself as Toto, the mayor of Yuuba.

"It's good to see that there are still people who travel the desert without fear of the war," the old man sighed, shaking his head. "And to think my idiotic son is leading it now. I kept telling him to trust in our royal family, but it seems that the drought and our missing princess were too much for him."

"It really is you, isn't it, Toto?" Vivi whispered. "You... you've lost so much weight.

Realization seemed to dawn on the old man. "Princess!" Toto declared happily. "Oh thank Heaven that you're alive! Now that you're back, you can stop the stupid rebellion!"

"I hope I can, Toto," Vivi responded in a melancholic voice. "It's wonderful to see you again, but the city seems empty. Wasn't the Rebel Army stationed here? Where's Kohza?"

"I'm afraid you missed them," Toto lamented. "The well dried up a few months ago, so the Rebels moved on. I'm the only one left."

"Wh-where are they stationed now?" Vivi asked in a quiet voice, praying that the answer she would receive was a town close by.

"They're in Katorea," Toto answered.

"That's close to here, right?" Chopper questioned.

"No, it's not," Vivi replied, tears welling in her eyes. "Katorea is near Nanohana in the direction we just came from."

"You're kidding me!" Luffy yelled angrily as Gin pulled out his tonfa and released his anger on a nearby building.

"You mean we came all this way for nothing?!" Zoro added. Eyelash grumbled something.

"That's right," Chopper translated. "I was carrying supplies for them when I met the reindeer." The men went to town beating on the camel, yelling at him about not mentioning anything. He huffed when they were done.

"Whatever," Chopper translated again, the comment starting another round of beating for the perverted animal. Toto invited them to stay the night since they shouldn't travel through the dessert when the sun is down. Most of the crew ended up in a giant pillow fight that night that expended the last of their energy and put them to sleep quickly. Luffy, however, decided to go outside to talk to Toto.

Coby, seeing him leave, decided to follow him, but caught a pillow with the back of his head and fell out the door. He threw it back in with a cry of "Jerks!", and hit Usopp in the face. Coby quickly shut the door. Several thumps of other pillows rattled the wood on its hinges as he walked down a path of new footprints in the sand.

"What are you doing down here?" he heard Toto say. "Your friends are having fun in the inn. You should join them."

"Nah," Luffy waved off. "Don't feel like it. Are you still down here digging, Old Guy?"

"Yes, I am. This old spring isn't dead yet. I can feel it. I just have to find that water." The youngest of the three reached the edge of the hole.

"Then I'll help," Luffy nodded. He shifted over to another point and started scooping out sand with his bare hands, the grains piling into the hole Toto had been making.

"Stop it!" the man ordered. "You're undoing all of my work!"

"But I'm helping," Luffy argued.

"Captain Luffy," Coby called, sliding down the side.

"Coby? What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to help."

"Alright," Luffy shrugged. The three dug for most of the night, Luffy falling asleep sometime around 11:15 and Coby following him into the realm of dreams around 11:25. Toto picked up their sleeping forms and carried them to the inn where the rest of their group was resting soundly. Returning to the dried spring alone, Toto was shocked by the depth of the hole the captain and the rosette had made just that night. He climbed down the latter he'd needed to get to retrieve them and was speechless.

The sand under his feet was damp.

* * *

The crew left Yuuba that morning. As they were preparing to leave, Toto stopped them to give them a barrel full of water and told them that he had been able to pull it from the bottom of the hole Luffy and Coby had made the night before. He also gave the two a small barrel of water with a straw on a necklace each. They thanked him profusely and went on their way. The group was halted several minutes later.

"I quit," Luffy announced, dropping into the shade of a dead tree.

"Luffy?" Nami asked. "What's wrong?"

"Please, Captain Luffy. We don't have time for this," Coby insisted. Grace, on the other hand, slid off of Eyelash and sat next to Luffy in the scarce shade with a rice cracker in her hand. "Not you too, Grace."

"I need a nap," Grace yawned.

"A nap?" Usopp asked incredulously. "You weren't even walking!"

"Shut your face!" Sanji rebuffed him, kicking him away. "If a lady wants to nap, you let her nap!"

"Coby's right; we don't have time for this," Vivi said. "Get up! If we wait any longer, people could die!"

"We could stop the rebellion; that won't stop Crocodile. People are going to die anyway," Luffy told her bluntly.

"I can't accept that," the princess growled. "This is my country and it is my duty to protect it. I have to do what's right for Alabasta."

"Does that involve you dying?"

"If need be, yes." Luffy rose suddenly and punched her, shocking their audience. Surprisingly, Sanji did nothing to help her as she fell.

"You can't do that, Vivi," Luffy told her seriously. "People die every day and there's nothing we can do. There will be casualties. You're important to this country and the people love you. They'd happily die to protect you. Why do you think your life is the only one that can be put on the line?" Vivi pulled herself up and retaliated, slugging the pirate hard enough to throw him to the ground. She mounted him, repeatedly punching and slapping and beating him, but she knew, deep down, that he was right.

"What do you want me to do, huh?!" she asked hysterically, continuing to wail on the pirate. "Is it wrong to want everybody to survive?! Do you want me to let those people just die?! Do you want me to do nothing?!" Luffy grabbed her arms at the wrists.

"Why don't you let us put our lives on the line, too?!" Luffy pulled himself from under her and stood.

"I... I..." Vivi had no words. Tears pooled in her eyes as the pirates moved to stand behind their captain, standing with him. For her. For her country. And it was too much. Her emotions welled up as the tears spilled over, running down her face and falling to the sand.

"Now the way I look at it," Luffy's voice cut through her crying, "Crocodile is the leader of the ones doing this, so all I have to do is kick his ass. So, where is Crocodile?"

Vivi sniffled. "Rainbase," she got out. "His base is in Rainbase. A day's journey to the north."

"Then let's go!"

* * *

Five people, two women and three men, sat at a table with nine chairs, the one at the head of the table turned away. The walls of the room around them were glass, showing the aquarium on the other side inhabited by bananadiles, giant crocodiles the color of bananas and with a banana-shaped protrusion on their heads and teeth the size of a full-grown human when fully grown like these were.

"Well?" A large woman asked quickly, slamming her hand in the table before her. "When are we going to get started? When, started, when, started, whenwhenwhen?!" This woman had fuzzy red hair that poofed out in a thin afro-like style and sunglasses that hid her eyes. She was dressed in a plain white button up and black dress pants. A green tie with red dots in the shape of a Christmas tree hung from her neck.

"Ha... Ha... Ha," the woman's partner laughed slowly. He was also large, but much taller than his short-statured partner. He had short blond hair parted down the middle and a dopey look on his face. He wore a green dress shirt with matching pants and a regular darker-green tie. A metal baseball bat was mounted on his back. "Ha... Ha... Ha."

"Please calm yourself, Ms. Merrychristmas," the other woman said as her black eyes looked at the aforementioned Ms. Merrychristmas. She had slightly longer blue hair in the same style as the other woman, but it hung lower behind her head. She also had a voluptuous figure accented by her one-piece outfit that covered her modesty, but only had a spider web design over her thin midriff. Her lower body was dressed in skinny jeans the same color as the rest of her outfit and 2" boots. Ms. Merrychristmas opened her mouth to retort, but a "man" beat her to it.

"Now, now," Mr. 2 muttered in all his okama glory. "We musn't fight between ourselves when we are so close."

"Everybody shut up," the final man at the table growled. "You're all annoying." This man had dark skin and white hair that looked grey from the combination of his skin tone and buzz cut. He was a tall man wearing a black sleeveless shirt and off-white pants with brown shoes. His crossed arms rippled every time they moved from the bulging muscles just under the skin.

"You be quiet, you big bully!" Mr. 2 rebuffed. "I don't care if you are a number above me, I'll still kill you."

"Ha, not likely."

"Ha... Ha... Ha," Mr. 4 continued to laughed.

"You all sure are a lively bunch." The men craned their necks to see the steps behind them while the women only looked up. On the stairs was another woman, Ms. Allsunday. "You have all been called here because the plan is moving into its final stage. Thus, it is time for you to meet the man you all know, yet do not."

"You mean it's time to meet the boss?" Ms. Doublefinger asked.

"Yes, that's right," a deep, gruff voice answered. The chair at the head of the table spun around to reveal the Warlord, Crocodile. Everyone in the room, with the exception of said man and Ms. Allsunday, gasped. He was a man of average height with slicked-back black hair that fell to his neck and a prominent scar that ran from one side of his face to the other over his nose. He was dressed in nice, cotton clothes of yellow and brown shades and a striped, fur-lined coat of dark black cotton hung from his shoulders like a cape. From his mouth hung a lit cigar, the smoke slowly wafting through the air. Finally, his left arm ended at the wrist, the hand replaced by a golden hook. "Yes, I am Mr. 0, but that is unimportant at the present moment. As Ms. Allsunday said, the plan is moving into its final stage. These," he pulled out slips of paper that Ms. Allsunday passed around, "are your final orders as members of Baroque Works. If all goes to plan, Alabasta will fall by the end of the week. And without the Straw Hats or that pesky princess running around, nothing can go wrong."

"Is this a bad time, then?" Mr. 3 interrupted, emerging from that shadows. He was covered in bandages and his hair was drooping.

"Ah!" Mr. 2 called, hopping up and falling into a fighting stance. "Finally, you show yourself, Mr. 3! I can now complete my last mission and eliminate you!"

"Hold it, Mr. 2," Crocodile ordered, standing. "I don't know how you found this place, Mr. 3, but-"

"The Straw Hats are not dead," Mr. 3 said, cutting the Warlord off.

"What?" Crocodile growled. "You told me over the den-den mushi that you'd killed them all on Little Garden along with princess Vivi."

"What den-den? I haven't used one since before getting to Little Garden. I came to report that both Ms. Goldenweek and Ms. Valentine have betrayed us for the pirates and that Mr. 5 fell sick and died on our way back."

Crocodile rushed forward and grabbed the agent by the throat, his anger palpable. As the other agents watched, Mr. 3 slowly shriveled as if the water was being sucked from his body. "Please," he begged, his voice turning hoarse from dehydration. "Have mercy. Let me make it right."

"You've done enough," Crocodile ground out. He threw the man away, said man calling for water. "You want water? I'll give you all the water you can drink." He pressed a button, opening a trapdoor beneath the wax-man and dropping him into a large area under the other room. A bananadile came up and ate the man before he could scream.

"These are the pirates?" Mr. 2 asked as the sketches the Unluckies had drawn in Whisky Peak were set before him. "I've met these people before. They were a fun bunch. I did not see Ms. Goldenweek or Ms. Valentine when I was on their ship however. Also, there was some sort of animal pet thing there, too, and I didn't touch everybody."

"Make pictures of the ones you can," Mr. 0 ordered. "They have a kill on sight order that I want you all to pass on to your men. We can't let them ruin our plan now. Dismissed."

 **End of Chapter 34**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	35. Chase to the Base

**Hello, everyone. SwordOfTheGods here with another chapter of Coby's Choice. I also have an announcement.**

 **There is a poll up on my profile that _could_ impact the future path of this story. I encourage you all to check it out. It's a bit thought-provoking, but I would like to have your input.**

* * *

 **Chapter 35:**

 **Chase to the Base, Raindinners**

As Vivi had said, the trip to Rainbase took a full day of travel. The dessert had been extra hot that day, quickly building up thirst within the group. Only Vivi seemed unaffected, but the pirates chalked that up to just being from Alabasta. Poor Chopper was, once again, having to be carried by Zoro who denied any semblance of being thirsty. Sanji, not wanting to be outdone by the swordsman in any way, also denied water. The others didn't really care; their feud meant more water for them. Finally, the little speck on the horizon grew to be Rainbase through the dessert haze.

"Hey, Vivi?" Usopp asked, using his goggles to peer ahead. "That's where we're going, right?"

"Yeah," the princess answered. "That's Rainbase, the only city outside of the drought. I guess it's not really a surprise since that's Crocodile's base."

"Then we should just finish off our water before we go in, huh?" Grace suggested. "No point carrying it around when we don't need to. That's unnecessary work."

"I agree with Grace," Gin nodded. "Plus we'll be well-hydrated if we end up fighting anyone."

"Alright, everyone," Nami clapped her hands. "Let's finish off this... Where's Luffy? And where's Usopp?"

"Crocodile! I'm gonna kick your sandy ass!"

"Oh," Nami sighed as the two ran off. "They ran off."

"Don't worry, Nami," Coby placated. "We have the baby den-den now. We can call them if we need to."

"I'm worried that they won't call when _they_ need to," she responded. "Anyway, everyone get your cups ready. We've got about three gallons in here."

With Luffy and Usopp, they walked into a small restaurant, sat at the counter next to a man and a woman, and ordered food which was placed before them quickly. They were so absorbed in their eating that they completely missed the discussion going on not three feet away.

"What makes you so sure that the Straw Hats are going to be here in Rainbase?" Sergeant Major Tashigi asked, a glass of water in her hand. The man next to her took a drawl from the cigars in his mouth and exhaled before answering.

"I've just got a hunch," he said. "Straw Hat is after Crocodile, as far as I can tell, and there have been reports that the Warlord is stationed here in Rainbase. If Straw Hat _is_ after Crocodile like the reports speculated, then he'll be here eventually." He turned to his right and the two messy eaters there. "Would you two slow down and use some manners?"

Luffy and Usopp stared at Smoker and Tashigi. The marines stared back at the pirates. Nobody moved.

"Run!" Luffy ordered through a mouthful of food, throwing his empty plate at the marines. It passed through Smoker's head, forcing Tashigi to duck. He and Usopp were out the door faster than the captain could react.

"Tashigi, get the other marines," Smoker ordered. He gave chase.

* * *

The crew, with the exception of Chopper, Luffy, and Usopp, were lounging by a fountain near the middle of the town. Chopper had dismissed himself several minutes prior to go to the "little boys' room" as he'd called it. Vivi shifted uncomfortably from being so close to the place were Crocodile had pulled the strings. She had her hood pulled up in case there were any Million or Billions around to recognize her. As one, all of their baby den-den began to ring.

BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP...

It was a group call, as every call for the baby den-den Usopp had bought would be. They were synced to each other, so all of them would ring until someone picked up. After that, any of the others could join by awakening their own den-den. Nami was the one to answer.

"Hello?"

"Nami!" Usopp's frantic voice called over the tiny snail. He sounded winded. "Thank Goda! The Marines are here and chasing me and Luffy!"

"Everyone!" Luffy's voice interrupted. "Head to Crocodile's base. We'll meet up there!"

"Understood," Nami answered. She shut the shell over the small snail, severing the call. "You all heard him. Let's-"

"Too late," Zoro grunted. From a side street into the plaza came Luffy, Usopp, and the marines chasing them. The government people, including Smoker and Tashigi, saw the pirates and ordered the men to capture every one of them.

"It's the rest of the pirates!" Tashigi gasped.

"Don't let them get away!" Smoker shouted to the men behind him. Tashigi started to pull ahead.

"Roranoa!"

"This way!" Vivi yelled over the sounds of the marines as Luffy and Usopp caught the group. "Do you see the top of that gold pyramid over there? That's Crocodile's base, Raindinners!"

"Got it!" Luffy replied, his eyes locked on the decorative golden bananadile on top of their goal. "We'll all meet up there!"

"Split up!" Nami shouted, the crew fracturing into smaller sub-groups that each ran down a separate alley with a crowd of marines after them. Vivi, Zoro, and Coby went one way, Tashigi after them, till yelling at Zoro to give up his swords. Amy, Grace, and Gin went another with their own hoard behind them. Usopp ran off with Nami and Sanji in tow. And finally, Luffy jumped a building, Smoker hot on his heels with a cry of "White Vine!".

* * *

 **Vivi, Coby, and Zoro**

Much to Zoro's dismay, his student was dragging him by the sleeve as they followed Vivi through the town. The street they were running on opened up to an intersection with three other streets, a plethora of armed men already waiting for them.

"There they are!" one of the nameless men called. "Get them!" Teacher and student both drew two swords and got to work disarming the attacking mercenaries.

"Is that the best you've got, Baroque Works?" Coby taunted, punching a Million with the pommel of his right sword. The man crumpled. "I've fought animals with more skill than that."

"You've really gotten the hang of this, haven't you, Coby?" Zoro complemented, throwing away a dozen opponents with the blunt of Yubashiri.

"Roranoa!" Tashigi yelled, the agents parting for her and her entourage. "You've corrupted a child into the ways of piracy and now you're teaching him to cut down innocent civilians! This will not stand!"

"You don't understand!" Coby tried to reason. "We're trying to save this country!"

"Pirates don't do that," the marine spat. "They raid and kill for fun. This is where you fall, Roranoa." The woman brought out her weapon, a brand-new sword, and pointed it at Zoro. "Unhand the princess. You're under arrest."

"We don't have time for this," Vivi announced as she pulled her hood off, revealing herself.

"P-Princess?!" Tashigi gasped." What are you doing?!"

Vivi ignored the marine. "Let's go, guys!"

"I couldn't agree more," Zoro muttered. The trio took off with Vivi in the lead, outrunning the confused marines and the agents. Of course Zoro, with his sense of direction, got separated from the other two within 20 steps and ended up in front of the casino, kicking over three agents with guns.

* * *

 **Gin, Amy, and Grace**

Both sadists and the young girl were running as fast as they could, the male in front with his tonfa out, beating away Baroque Works agents that got in their path. The marines following them were getting closer as the trio exited an alley.

"Grace," Amy said. "Do the thing."

"What thing?" Gin asked, knocking the last agents around them unconscious with a tonfa to the face. Grace moved to the entrance of the alley and started painting her design on the ground. She finished within seconds and backed away from the design quickly. The marines flew out of alley and stopped dead in their tracks.

For you see, Grace had used her black paint. This paint was special; made from a mixture of rebellion-inducing compounds and fast-acting acids that target inorganic matter, Grace's black paint could eat through even the toughest shoes before reaching the feet of her victims and releasing chemicals into the bloodstream that would force anyone to refuse any order and do the opposite as long as they continue to stand on the symbol.

"Group Color Trap: Betrayal Black."

"Alright, boys," Amy cackled. "Don't you dare fire on these _innocent_ bystanders that were chasing us."

"We don't take orders from you, lady," the lead marine yelled. He hoisted his gun and shot one of the unconscious agents. His men followed suit, shooting the downed Baroque Works men.

"You don't think Don Luffy will be mad that we did this, right?" Gin questioned over the gunfire.

" _We_ didn't kill anyone," Amy waved off. "Plus what Luffy doesn't know won't kill him."

"I... I guess so."

"Come on," Grace insisted, wanting to leave the area as soon as possible. "We need to get to the others."

"Yes," Gin agreed. "Let's go." They made their exit, the sound of the marines' firing continuing to echo behind them.

* * *

 **Sanji, Usopp, and Nami**

"Crap!" Usopp yelped. "They got ahead of us." He was staring at the pack of marines advancing from the front while his two companions watched another set approach from behind.

"Go," Sanji ordered, pushing Nami and Usopp into an alleyway perpendicular to the road and standing guard at the entrance.

"But, Sanji-" Nami tried to protest.

"No buts. I'll be fine. Just go!"

"Right," the two nodded. They took off toward Raindinners as the marines drew closer.

"Sorry about this," the chef apologized, lighting a cigarette. He waited until the first marine with a sword was swinging to retaliate. Sanji shot forward with his right leg extended, throwing that man into the three behind him. He shifted his weight to his arms, altering his momentum into an upside-down roundhouse kick that took out most of the rest of the first row. He righted himself as the rest of the government lackeys backed up a few steps. "Bring it on, Appetizers."

Nami and Usopp were the first two to reach Raindinners, three guards standing at the front steps. The building was a pyramid. Taller than any other building in Rainbase, it had a golden bananadile resting on top and was situated directly over a lake, only one bridge providing entry and exit.

"Halt!" one of the guards ordered, pointing his gun at them. Recognizing the duo as members of the Straw Hat Pirates, his fellow guards aimed their weapons at the navigator and sniper. They were about to kill the two when a green-haired swordsman mowed them over from the side, rendering them unconscious.

"Zoro?" Usopp questioned. "Where are Coby and Vivi? Weren't they with you?"

"What?" the swordsman replied, looking around. "Ah crap. They must have gotten lost."

"You moron!" Nami shouted.

"Get in the building!" they heard Luffy yell. He ran by, the others hurrying to catch up. Smoker followed them, his gaseous body making him lighter and faster than any normal person, but if there was one thing outside of fighting that the Straw Hats were good at, it was running. They easily kept ahead of the irate marine and entered the casino on the lake.

"Keep running!" Nami yelled as they entered the building. They never slowed down, lest Smoker catch them and send them to the gallows. The noises of gambling rung through the air; slot machines and the cries of people around poker tables as they either won big or lost it all. The pirates bowled over patrons and employees alike in their search for the Warlord until a path to the VIP lounge was opened for them. The quartet and their pursuer sped through the door and down a long, white hallway. At the end, a sign read "VIPs left, Pirates right."

"Which way, Luffy?" Zoro asked.

"Go left!" Nami yelled. "Go left!"

"No, we're going right," Luffy said. "The sign says pirates go right. We're pirates."

"Well, he does have a point," Usopp agreed. They made the turn, only to find a dead end.

"Finally," Smoker commented, "I've got you now, Straw Hat."

And that's when the trapdoor beneath them opened up.

"How did we fall for this?" Zoro questioned as Nami screamed and grabbed Luffy.

"Oh no!" Usopp cried. "My SwimmingWhileI'mFallingBecauseIThinkItWillHelp syndrome is acting up!"

"Damn you, Straw Hat!" Smoker yelled. Luffy shouted.

"CROCODILE!"

 **End of Chapter 35**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	36. Captured! Project Utopia

**Well I'm happy to say the poll is getting more traffic than I was expecting. Both options are neck-and-neck. It's anybody's game. And I need a definite answer. I'm closing the poll on Thursday so I can announce the results on Friday, so you have until then. Good luck and may the popular vote win!**

 **In other news, Coby's Choice has reached 200 Followers! What a wonderful occasion and thank you to all the wonderful readers that like my writing enough to click that button.**

* * *

 **Chapter 36:**

 **Captured! Project Utopia**

Vivi and Coby were surrounded by thugs, several unconscious on the ground around them. Coby was in his Hybrid Mode while Vivi had her spinning pinky-ring weapons out.

"I'll admit, princess," the lead agent, a large man with short blond hair and a broadsword, chuckled, "you've got some moves, and that's one freaky-ass pet, but we've got you outmatched."

"I am not a pet," Coby growled, turning on the man.

"Of course not," the man laughed. "You're a-" But whatever insult the man was about to use died with him, a bullet coming out of nowhere and slamming into his chest. More bullets rained down on the agents who scattered in an attempt to save themselves. A bird, one of the largest Coby had ever seen, swooped low, machine guns firing repeatedly from under its wings.

"Pell!" Vivi shouted excitedly as Coby shrunk into his Human Mode to be a smaller target. The bird, a falcon if Coby was correct, made another low pass and plucked the princess and the pirate up and into the air. Coby screamed like he use to when he was a coward, no matter what he would claim afterward. They landed on the roof of a tall, nearby building.

The two turned quickly to see the large bird, which had perched on the lip of the roof, change into a pale man with black face paint. He was dressed in white dessert robes with black, star-like markings and a matching headband. A sword with a gold-plated handle rested at his side. Coby was on guard, hands on the hilts of his own swords, but Vivi surged forward to hug the man.

"It's wonderful to see you, Princess Vivi," the man said, patting her back. "We'd received word that you had returned, so your father sent me on recognizance to scout the area. I'm glad he did."

"You received word?" the woman questioned, letting go. "That means that Carue made it safely."

"Yes, Carue is alive and well in Alubarna. And who might this be, princess?"

"Oh. I forgot to introduce you, didn't I? Pell, this is Coby, a member of the Straw Hat Pirates who have been helping me. Coby, this is Pell, one of my father's advisors."

"It's nice to meet you," Coby said, holding out his hand.

"You as well," Pell replied, taking his hand. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some rodents to deal with." The man hopped up onto the lip and looked down on the able-bodied agents. "The Bird-Bird Fruit: Model Falcon, one of the 19 known Devil Fruits that give the gift of flight. This is what you face, for I am Pell the Falcon!" He shifted back into his bird form and dove off the side while the grunts panicked. The Alabastian made short work of the ruffians before returning to Vivi's side.

"My my," a feminine voice chuckled from behind the two on the building as the Guardian landed. Coby reacted by going for his swords, but they were not there. "Looking for these?" the woman asked, lifting his scabbards and their contents.

"Ms. Allsunday," Vivi hissed, her eyes narrowing.

"I take it that this woman is one of our enemies?" Pell questioned. "In that case..." He transformed and flew toward the female agent, ready to finish the woman's life, but it was not to be.

"Tres Fleur," Ms. Allsunday said, crossing her arms over her chest. Three limbs sprouted from the bird-man. Two of them locked his wings in place and the last one kept his sword from moving. With no control, the man spiraled into the other side of the lining.

"What did you do?" Vivi demanded angrily. Coby watched the black-haired woman warily, focused on all small movements and ready to change at a moment's notice.

"That," Ms. Allsunday answered, "was the power of the Flower-Flower Fruit, a Devil Fruit that lets me bloom body parts from any surface like flowers." She extended her right hand to the side, two more arms blooming into existence from the inside of her elbow. All three hands waved.

"I thought you looked familiar," Coby growled as Pell tried to stand. "You're Nico Robin. The woman who had a 79 million Beri bounty at the age of seven."

"Well you're a smart one, aren't you?" she asked with a smile that lacked even a shred of emotion. The extra arms dispersed into flower petals that blew away in the wind. "What gave me away?"

"I had my suspicions when we meet on the Merry since you still resemble your wanted poster, but I'd heard rumors when I was younger about a woman who could have over a hundred arms. That woman, was you."

"How interesting. Well, we must be off. I've been ordered to bring the princess and any Straw Hats with her to Mr. 0. That means you," she turned to Pell, who had risen and was about to cut her in half, "are unwelcome. Seis Fleur. Clutch." The six arms that had sprouted around and on Pell bent him backward. There was a sickening crack and Pell fell, unmoving.

"No!" Vivi cried. "Pell! Not you, too!" She moved to attack, but Coby held her back, grabbing her waist. "What are you doing, Coby?!"

"There's nothing we can do at the moment," the rosette reasoned with a scowl. "I don't know if we can beat her, and knowing Luffy, he's somewhere near Crocodile already. We need to meet back up with them."

Vivi's struggling slowed to a stop. "Fine," she ground out with a glare. "We'll go with you."

"Wonderful," Nico Robin smiled mirthlessly, clapping her hands once. "Willing participants are so much better than captive audiences."

* * *

"DAMN YOU, CROcodile..." Luffy trailed off, his hold on the bars of the cage he, and his friends, were in weakening him. They'd been there for nearly ten minutes and their baby den-dens wouldn't work. They could pick up each other's snails, but everyone that was free were either outside their cut-off range or the walls were made of something that blocked them. At that moment, Luffy had his hand on the bars, Nami standing behind her weakened boyfriend with her hands on her hips. Smoker was sitting on a stone bench in the back corner of the cage, half his face hidden in the shadows. Zoro was to the far left of the cage by the bench, trying to sleep, while Usopp was leaning on the opposite side as far away from Smoker as he could get in the limited space.

"Luffy!" Nami yelled, hitting him over the head with a fist. "You know the bars weaken you! Stop touching them!"

"But I don't understand why," Luffy moaned before Nami lifted his hand from the cage. She did not let go of it.

"This cage," Marine Captain Smoker spoke up from his seat, two cigars half-gone in his clenched jaw, "is made of a rock called Sea Prism Stone. It is only found on the ocean floor and, for reasons unknown, gives off a feeling like the sea. To Devil Fruit users like Straw Hat and me, just touching it is like being submerged in the ocean. The end of my jutte is made of Sea Prism Stone."

Luffy tapped his fist, an understanding look on his face. "So it's a mystery rock."

"That's not what he said at all," Usopp huffed as Zoro's snores came to an end.

"Yes, Luffy," Nami sighed, taking his hand again while her other hand bopped him on the nose. "It's a mystery rock. One that you should avoid touching."

"Okay. Got it."

"Now this is interesting," Smoker muttered, narrowing his eyes at the male and female. "I never would have guessed that 'Straw Hat Luffy' would have a lover." Nami turned red while Luffy just cocked his head to the side in confusion. "It begs the question; is Straw Hat really in charge of his merry band of misfits?"

"What's a lover?" Luffy asked while, at the same time, Nami cried, "We're not like that!"

"Was that a pun about our ship?" Usopp asked.

"Sorry to disappoint, White-Hair," Zoro yawned, stretching from his nap, "but I don't think Luffy knows about the birds and the bees."

"I know about birds and bees," Luffy argued.

"Really?" Usopp questioned incredulously.

"Yeah! There were birds and bees back on Goa Island, but none of them were big enough to eat." Zoro and Usopp turned toward Nami. She glared back.

"Don't look at me," she told them. "He needs to hear it from a guy."

"Hear what?" Luffy asked. They ignored him. The two other male pirates locked eyes from across the cage, lifted their fists, and played a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Usopp sighed, glaring at his crushed scissors, before dragging Luffy to one side of the cage and began to give the one-month-younger teen _The Talk._ If one watched, they would probably laugh as the pirate captain's face slowly grew purple.

"You all," Smoker muttered through his cigars several minutes later, "are the weirdest bunch of pirates I've ever met."

"Is that a complement or an insult?" Nami questioned. She received no answer since Zoro had already gone back to sleep and Usopp and Luffy were otherwise occupied. The cage was all but silent long enough for a thoroughly embarrassed Luffy to return to the front of the cage.

"Well you all sure are lively, I'll give you that," Crocodile spoke from the table for the first time since they had fallen into his trap, a glass of red wine in his hand. The table was spread with a feast for two people. "And Captain Smoker, what a nice surprise. Unlike your superiors, you never thought I was on your side. You were right, of course, but I'll be sure that the old coots know that you died a brave death while fighting the 'vicious Straw Hat Luffy'. On the bright side, it's almost time. I just received word that we have a special guest arriving in a few moments." Right on cue, the double doors at the top of the stairs opened, in walking Vivi, Coby, and Ms. Allsunday who still had Coby's swords in her grip.

"Ah. Vivi Nefertari, princess of Alabasta. Or should I call you Ms. Wednesday? Welcome. Please, have a seat."

"Vivi!" the pirates called in their various emotions, worry being the most prominent.

"Damn you!" Vivi yelled, bringing out her Peacock Slashers and dashing toward the Warlord. He didn't move a muscle as her weapon shot forward, blowing his head off in a spray of sand. The man's body broke apart, building itself back up behind the royal woman until Crocodile was whole again and with a grip on Vivi.

"Now now," he taunted as she struggled, unable to break his hold around either her waist or neck. "A woman of your stature shouldn't use such coarse language. As a citizen of this country, you should be aware that I possess the power of the Sand-Sand Fruit. Please-" He stopped as Coby slammed into him in his Dino Mode, blasting the sand-man apart and scooping up Vivi. Grains of sand spiraled out to wrap around the young teen dinosaur and the princess, eventually overpowering them.

"That was unexpected," Mr. 0 ground out as he reformed, the ropes of sand holding Coby flinging him into the bars of the cage where he came to a stop under a pile of sand. Coby was forced to change back upon contact with the Sea Prism Stone, his strength failing him. "With you here, I'll have to cut my well-practiced speech short," Crocodile growled. "Project Utopia has begun, princess. This key," he pulled out a plain, golden key, "is the key to the cage your friends are trapped in. As soon as I leave, this room will be flooded and the bananadiles released. You have two options: try to run to Alubarna to stop the rebellion and leave your friends to die, or try to save them here and let the Rebels-"

BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... CA-LICK

"What the Hell do you want?" the man yelled into the transponder snail that had ruined his moment.

"Is this thing on?" a familiar voice asked from the den-den.

"Yes, it is," the sand-man answered in the same dark voice.

"That voice is familiar. Hello, you've reached the Crap Café. Is this about a reservation?"

"You! You're the one that called from Little Garden! Who the Hell are you?!"

"You can call me Mr. Prince."

"Mr. Prince!" Usopp shouted. "We're alright!"

"That would be my friends," 'Mr. Prince' admitted. "And if you must kno- ERK!"

"Sanji!" Luffy shouted worriedly. There was static for several seconds before a new voice spoke from the snail.

"Apologies, Mr. 0, sir. We finally got that ugly bastard. He snuck up on us and stole one of our special den-den. Sorry to interrupt." The line went dead, the transponder snail going to sleep. Crocodile shook his head for several moments before speaking. He turned back to the princess.

"As I was saying, you can try to save your country and abandon your friends, or try to save them here and let the Rebels overrun the capital."

Crocodile turned and tossed the key over his shoulder. Vivi dove for it, but a trapdoor, the same one that had swallowed up Mr. 3 several days previously, opened, dropping the key into the mouth of a waiting bananadile.

"No!" the princess cried as the Warlord laughed.

"Hahaha! Goodbye, Ms. Wednesday." Crocodile chuckled as he left the room, Nico Robin carelessly tossing Coby's swords to one side and following him.

And then the glass cracked.

 **End of Chapter 36**

* * *

 **Read and Review! And vote!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	37. Escape the Casino

**So it seems the popular vote has been decided. It was close, but using both the polls and PMs from those who couldn't vote the normal way, we have our winner.**

 **With a grand score of 13 to 9, the Sunny will ultimately be female. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote. If you're upset at the results _but didn't vote when you had the chance_ , then you have no right to complain. **

**Either way, the results won't manifest until I get to publishing chapters past Thriller Bark, which I am still in the process of writing. If anyone has any suggestions or anything they want to see in the future, leave a Review or drop a PM to let me know.**

* * *

 **Chapter 37:**

 **Escape the Casino, Luffy's Fight**

 _"As I was saying, you can try to save your country and abandon your friends, or try to save them here and let the Rebels overrun the capital."_

 _Crocodile turned and tossed the key over his shoulder. Vivi dove for it, but a trapdoor, the same one that had swallowed up Mr. 3 several days previously, opened, dropping the key into the mouth of a waiting bananadile._

 _"No!" the princess cried as the Warlord laughed._

 _"Hahaha! Goodbye, Ms. Wednesday." Crocodile chuckled as he left the room, Nico Robin carelessly tossing Coby's swords to one side and following him._

 _And then the glass cracked._

Vivi sat there staring into the trapdoor, the giant bananadile that had eaten the key staring back, for several long seconds. Sounds of glass beginning to break echoed through the underwater room, but Vivi heard nothing but the blood pounding through her ears. Luckily, she snapped out of it quickly thanks to the cries of her friends in the cage, Luffy's being the most dominate.

"Vivi! Let me out so I can kick Crocodile's sandy ass!"

"Come on," Usopp urged, shaking Coby through the bars. "Wake up, Coby."

"Wake up, you lazy ass!" Nami yelled, kicking a sleeping Zoro in the head.

"Is it morning yet?"

"Watch out, Vivi!" Luffy yelled. "The bananas are coming!" Through one of the holes in the floor crawled a bananadile large enough to eat the cage containing much of the Straw Hat crew in a single bite. The princess pulled out her weapons, but she knew they would be ineffective against something of the creature's size. It advanced on her, ready to snap her up as a treat.

But it was halted, held back by a triceratops.

"Go, Vivi," Coby ordered, his feet cracking the floor under him from the weight of his struggle with the larger reptile/possible-herb. "Get the others. I'll hold this overgrown lizard off. And throw my swords to me, would you?" The larger, semi-aquatic lizard stepped forward, causing Coby's feet to dig furrows into the concrete. Vivi sprinted up the stairs and into the casino, stopping only long enough to toss the pair of swords at the top back down.

"Alright, Fatty," she heard Coby taunt as she moved out of earshot. "Let's dance." The princess kept running, trying to ignore the yells and growls coming from the room behind her. She slowed down just before reaching the gambling area and threw up her hood so as to not attract unwanted attention. She'd barely stepped into the room when there was a tremor that shot through the building.

"The bridge collapsed!" a man cried as everyone regained their balance. Vivi kept quiet, walking through the now-louder casino, looking for a way out like the screaming patrons. She passed between three silent figures, two of whom were calmly playing slots.

"You know, beautiful," one of them muttered, "I didn't destroy the bridge to keep us in. I did it to keep them out."

"Kyahaha," the other gambler chuckled lowly. "I never knew Mr. 0 owned a casino. You'd think he'd let us number agents have a discount or something."

"Sanji," Vivi gasped. "Amy. Grace." The three spun around on their stools, smirks on two of the three faces. "Where's Tony? And Gin?"

"Gin helped me pull off that den-den call," Sanji answered. "He and Chopper are running around town playing decoy. We'll meet up with them later. Where are the others?"

"Come on," Vivi urged. "We have to get down there. Coby's fighting a bananadile."

"A what?" Sanji asked as she took off back the way she'd come from. The three followed, Grace not even acting lazy. They ran down the path Vivi had taken before coming out at the top of a set of now-destroyed stairs. Coby was in his Hybrid Mode, holding back a bananadile with his crossed swords. He was holding on well, but he was slowly weakening from the rising water level. The croc swung its head like an oversized bat, knocking Coby into the bars of the cage. For the second time, he slumped, not unconscious, but weakened.

"Coby," Grace fretted. "Big Sister, do something."

Amy huffed, but knew there was no time for arguing. Other bananadiles could be seen trying to force their way into the flooding room, so she opened her umbrella and lightened herself, floating up and over the large lizard. At the same time, the chef had jumped down into the water and attacked.

"10,000 Kilogram Press!"

"Bad Manners Kick Course!"

The combination of both attacks, one coming from above and the other from below, compressed the insides of the gator/croc/herb/thing. It gagged, falling into sweet oblivion as the things that it had eaten made a reappearance, such things including a key and a large ball of an off-white color.

"Nami-swan!" Sanji gushed, turning into a noodle. "Are you proud of me? Are you willing to leave our stupid captain for me, yet?"

"Back off, Sanji," Luffy ordered. "Just hurry up and get us out of this cage."

"Whatever, Shitty Captain." He turned to the unknown object. "What is this?" Sanji wondered aloud, tapping the ball with his foot. Grace, however, stared at it with some form of abject fear. The sphere cracked like an egg, opening to reveal a dehydrated Mr. 3.

"Free!" The wax-man cried before kneeling down to drink his fill of water. Now hydrated, if a little loopy from the water of questionable purity, Mr. 3 starting ranting at the air, cursing Crocodile and explaining that he'd used the last of his strength to summon a protective ball of wax as soon as that bananadile had eaten him. After ranting for a good half-minute, he had finally calmed down enough to actually take in his surroundings. "What the? Ms. Goldenweek? Ms. Valentine? Straw Hats?"

"You must be Mr. 3, then," Sanji said, sauntering over to the male agent as Vivi and Grace scooped up the key. They moved to the cage, avoiding Mr. 3's gaze.

"Well... I," Mr. 3 didn't know what to make of this new, intimidating figure. It only got worse for him when Amy went to stand next to her fellow blond, a sadistic smirk on his face.

"We meet again, Mr. 3. Kyahaha."

"The key isn't working," Grace called from beside to cage.

"A fake," Vivi cried.

"Hey, Mr. 3," Amy smirked. "You're made of wax. Why don't you make us a key?"

"Wh-what's in it for me?" Mr. 3 stuttered, trying to sound brave. The sadistic blonde sauntered in to him to whisper in his ear.

"If you don't, I will literally crush you piece by piece, starting with your waxy balls." The man's face paled, becoming whiter than his wax. He bolted over to the cage and stuffed his finger into the keyhole, the appendage turning to wax and taking the necessary shape. There was a click and the door swung open.

"Yeah!" Luffy cheered as he and the other prisoners exited the cage. "Now it's time to go kick Crocodile's ass!"

"Am I done here?" Mr. 3 asked nervously as Luffy went to work beating up the other bananadiles that had entered with the help of Zoro.

"Nope," Sanji answered with a smirk, the last bananadile flying over his head the slam into the broken stairs. He handed a hand-written note, signed Mr. Prince, to the wax-man before kicking him into a wall, knocking him unconscious. Unfortunately, they'd wasted too much time. The windows cracked and caved, spewing water into the crumbling room.

"Zoro!" Luffy yelled just before the water engulfed him and everyone else. "Save Smokey!"

* * *

Sanji gasped as he broke the surface of the water, Amy and Luffy under his arms. He tossed his captain onto the sidewalk, heedless of the strange looks he was getting, before gingerly lying Amy down. Nami and Vivi came next, Usopp half drowned between them, not that he was a Devil Fruit user; he was just a wimp. After them was Zoro with Smoker draped over him.

"Why the Hell did you save _him_?" Sanji growled, pointing at the marine. "He's our enemy."

"Not now," Zoro growled back as the Devil Fruit users coughed water. "We're down two."

"Grace!" Amy gasped, bolting up into a sitting position. "Grace! Where are you?!"

"I'll get her," Sanji insisted, diving back into the lake. He swam down, a dark shape growing into his vision. Grace, who'd lost her hat, was struggling to get to the surface, Coby lying limp over her shoulder. Sanji scooped them both up and kicked upward with his stronger legs until all three reached the air. Amy surged forward, pulling her soaked sister into a hug as she coughed.

Coby's welcoming into consciousness was less pleasant. Zoro pulled him up and punched him in the gut, forcing the water out of his lungs. While crude, it was effective.

"Alright!" Luffy shouted, jumping up as his energy returned. " _Now_ it's time to kick Crocodile's ass!"

"Roranoa!" Smoker growled, jabbing his jutte at the swordsman who caught it on the blade of Wado Ichimonji. "Why did you save me?"

"Don't look too far into it," Zoro replied, pushing the weapon away and sheathing his sword. "I was just following my captain's orders. That's all."

"Come on, everyone," Vivi insisted. "We have to get to Alubarna. It's this way, due east." She took off at a run, the others following, Sanji proclaiming that he'd do anything for her or her beauty. Coby shifted into his Dino Mode to carry Grace, the slowest member, and Amy had Sanji pull her near-weightless form by her umbrella. Nami had started following, but stopped when she noticed that Luffy was not with them.

"Luffy?" she questioned, looking back at the teen who had yet to move except to make eye contact with the marine. "Come on."

"You know," the rubber-man began, "you're not such a bad guy, Smokey. I like you. Shishishi." The smoke-man did not reply for several seconds.

"Go," he ordered, putting his jutte away. "This is the one time I'll let you off. Next time, though, I _will_ catch you."

"See ya!" Luffy laughed as he and Nami took off.

* * *

The reunion with Chopper and Gin brought a surprise in the form of a giant, slightly-perverted Moving Crab. The crab, which was as big as a building and a childhood friend of Eyelash, had agreed to carry them to Alubarna as a favor for the camel they were traveling with. They boarded the crustacean that Nami named Scissors and took off to the east.

Unfortunately, not all of them would make the trip that way. Crocodile's golden hook came out of nowhere, pulling Vivi off the crab and back toward Rainbase. Luffy reacted immediately, reaching out and switching places with her.

"Luffy/Captain Luffy/Don Luffy!" the crew cried out as the rubber teen was pulled away.

"Don't worry about me!" he yelled back. "I'll catch up! Go! Zoro, you're in charge!" The teen looked away from the group as Scissors sped away through the dessert. He twisted through the air so that he landed on his feet while facing Crocodile and Nico Robin.

"I guess you could say the princess slipped through your fingers," the woman laughed quietly, heedless to the growling of her employer. She turned and began to walk off.

"And where do you think you're going?" the Warlord questioned lowly.

"To Alubarna," she replied with a wave. "Someone has to make sure those imbeciles do their jobs right. I expect to meet you there, Mr. 0."

"Insolent woman," Crocodile muttered as soon as she was out of earshot, believing Luffy could not hear him. "I'll do away with her soon enough."

"Gum-Gum Pistol!" Luffy's fist shot through the man's head, breaking it apart. The sand-man's face rematerialized with a scowl on his face.

"I have very little time for you, bo-" He was cut off, Luffy's knuckles making contact once more.

"What's that?" Luffy mocked. "I didn't hear you. My fist interrupted."

"You brat!" Crocodile raged. "Quicksand Hole!" Luffy's footing became very uneven as the sand underneath him gave way, sinking rapidly and trying to take him with it. The teen scurried up the side, slowly outrunning the deadly trap. He reached the lip, but he could not pull himself out; the sand was too loose to get a proper grip. With no other option, Luffy chose the unpredictable.

"Gum-Gum Bazooka!" he yelled, slamming his hands into the sand. The force pushed him into the air, away from the quicksand. "Gum-Gum Whip! Gum-Gum Battle Ax!" Luffy's first attack split the unmoving Warlord at the waist before he flipped in the air to bring his still-extended leg down, splitting the man into four parts. "Gum-Gum Gatling!" Finally, the pirate's rubbery arms lashed out, throwing hunks of sand from Crocodile's form until nothing remained. He landed.

"Sand Saber," Crocodile's voice announced from behind him. Luffy jumped, hoping to get over the attack, but his lower legs still ended up passing through the grains of sand. The attack sucked the water out of the parts it came in contact with, leaving Luffy to faceplant.

"Ah! What did you do to me?!" Luffy shouted, holding his shriveled legs.

"I removed the water from your system," Crocodile answered. In response to this explanation, Luffy took a big swig of water from the barrel he'd gotten from Toto in Yuuba. His rubber body moved the water to where it was needed most, rehydrating his legs.

"Yeah!" he yelled, jumping up. But he was too slow to stop Crocodile's next move.

Luffy was lifting into the air, a hook of gold stabbed through his stomach.

"You thought you could beat me?" Crocodile sneered. "Now you'll die like every other upstart that came to challenge me. Goodbye, Straw Hat." The Warlord broke into sand and drifted off into the wind, leaving the teen to fall into the quicksand where he slowly began sinking.

But Luffy noticed one inconsistency. Crocodile's arm, which was soaked with his blood, was still intact.

 **End of Chapter 37**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	38. The roar in the Sand

**I'm not really satisfied with this chapter. I feel like it's shoddy work at best, but I'm already behind because I took the time to revise. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I couldn't completely rewrite this chapter since I hate doing that and there's already so much after this. On the bright side, the next chapter will be all fighting and is the longest chapter to date at over 4k words. Just wait for that.**

* * *

 **Chapter 38:**

 **The Roar in the Sand**

Luffy gasped, taking sweet air into his lungs. His bloody form was tossed onto the sand outside the range of the quicksand. He pulled his eyes open, making out a blurry but familiar figure. His vision cleared after several seconds to reveal the shape as Ms. Allsunday.

"Th-thank you," Luffy panted, the hole in his stomach making it hard to both breath and speak. The woman said nothing for a long moment, only staring down at the injured pirate. Finally, she spoke.

"Why do you fight?" she asked. "What drives you, the people who bear the name of D.?" Luffy said nothing. He didn't know what was so special about his middle name. "I suppose you don't know then," the woman sighed.

"Nico Robin!" a voice yelled. Pell staggered out of the city, limping but forcing himself forward. The woman saw him, but her facial expression did not change.

"You're awake already?" she questioned. "I'm surprised, but you shouldn't overexert yourself. You're in no shape to fight me. Heal the kid instead. His friends'll need him soon." She turned and walked off, taking a carriage that sped off into the dessert.

"Meat," Luffy groaned, grabbing the hem of the man's robe. "Give. Me. Meat!"

* * *

"This is boring, dull, uninteresting!" Ms. Merrychristmas complained, stomping her foot into the sands that surrounded the capital city of Alubarna. "The shade of the wall is nice, but there has to be something we can do, do, do!"

"Please calm down, Ms. Merrychristmas," Ms. Doublefinger placated, breathing out a breath of smoke from the pipe in her hand. "Mr. 0 said that the pirates should be here soon."

"But that message came through over an hour ago!"

"Ha... ha... ha..." Mr. 4 laughed, his dog-gun, Lassoo, in his lap licking at his face.

"Shut up, Ms. Merrychristmas," Mr. 1 ordered. "You're being loud and annoying."

"You brute!" Mr. 2 chastised. "If I could, I'd... What is that?" The Okama squinted into the distance where a speck had appeared on the horizon. Mr. 1 snatched a pair of binoculars from Mr. 4 and brought them up to his face.

"They're here," he announced, dropping the binoculars into Ms. Merrychristmas' reaching hand. She quickly looked out over the desert.

"Damn them!" the woman shouted. "They're wearing cloaks! How unfair!"

"Ha... ha... ha..."

"You wanted something to do," Ms. Doublefinger commented, dumping the tobacco out of her pipe and onto the sand at her feet. The pirates were getting closer.

There were seven ducks and one camel in all, each one carrying a hooded figure. As the agents started to move to intercept the pirates, the group of ducks and camel broke off into three smaller groups, one of two and two of three, that went toward the southwest, south, and southeast gates. The Mr. 1 pair gave chase to the first trio which included the camel and Vivi's pet, Carue, and the camel. Mr. 2 pursued the duo heading to the southernmost entrance, while the Mr. 4 pair went after the final three toward the east. As the race began, Vivi, Coby, and Grace watched from behind a rock far enough out that the agents couldn't see them, praying for their friends' safeties.

Mr. 4 and Ms. Merrychristmas caught their prey just outside of the southeast entrance, one of Mr. 4's exploding baseballs knocking two of the figures off of their ducks. The birds were knocked unconscious, but the humans stood up as the agents revealed themselves.

"Well?" Ms. Merrychristmas demanded. "Which one of you is the princess? Which one, huh? Which one?"

"Sorry to disappoint you, Ms. Merrychristmas," a woman's voice laughed from under the hood of the human still on their duck, "but none of us are the princess. Kyahahaha!" The three threw their robes away, exposing Usopp, Chopper, and Amy to the dessert sun.

"We will-" Usopp began. "Ahh! It's a mole woman!"

"Oh God!" Chopper yelled. "You're right! I didn't think they existed!"

"Ha... Ha... Ha," Mr. 4 laughed as his partner streamed. She hadn't even transformed yet. The woman rushed forward, hoping to quickly kill these pesky pirates and the traitorous woman.

* * *

Mr. 2 stopped his duo outside the south gate, blocking it and taking a fighting stance with his arms raised before his face and his wrists limp. The two pulled to a stop and dismounted lightly.

"Is one of you the princess we're looking for?" he asked excitedly.

"Afraid not," the first of the two replied, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. The duo tossed their cloaks to the wind, showing Sanji and Gin. "And let me tell you, you are one ugly-ass man."

"I'm an Okama, you jerk!" Mr. 2 retorted. "Beware, for I will take you both down with my Newkama Kenpo!"

"Oh no," Gin rolled his eyes. "I'm so scared, I'm shaking in my shoes."

"As you should be!" Bon Clay responed, not catching the sarcasm in the pirate's tone.

"Can we get this over with?" Sanji questioned impatiently. "I'm running low on cigarettes and the sooner this war is stopped, the sooner I can stop rationing."

"Fine then. Prepare yourselves! Memoir of a Winter Sky!"

* * *

Mr. 1 and Ms. Doublefinger had to sneak into the city before catching up to their opponents. The agents found them waiting in the middle of an average road. No words were spoken as the disguises were thrown away; a man, a woman, and a dummy on the camel.

"Sorry," Nami taunted. "Not the princess you're looking for. You'll never get her either. Now get 'em, Zoro!"

"Yeah, yeah," the green-haired man waved off.

"Well, Ms. Doublefinger, is seems we've been had."

"So it seems, Mr. 1."

"I'll take the man, Ms. Doublefinger."

"Then I'll take the girl, Mr. 1." Their plan established, the agents rushed forward to face their foes.

* * *

 **Flashback**

 _After crossing the first half of the distance to Alubarna on Scissors the Moving Crab, the crew reached the Sandora River. There they ran into the Kung-Fu Dugongs who beat up a Sandora Catfish and drug them across on its back. Once they got to the other side, Carue and the other six ducks of the Super Sonic Duck Squadron showed up to carry them the rest of the way._

 _Of course, they knew that the remaining Baroque Works agents were going to be there waiting for them so they could kill Vivi, therefore everyone dressed themselves in matching robes at Amy's suggestion. In total, there were nine humans, seven ducks, Chopper, and Eyelash. They split off into groups with Coby, carrying Vivi and Grace in his Dino Mode, lagging behind. It had been agreed that Vivi was too important to risk, so the others were to act as a diversion while the princess and the youngest pirates did their best to stop the rebellion before it reached the capital. Everyone else was hidden and riding one of the ducks._

 _The numbers just didn't seem to work out, though. Without Vivi, Coby, or Grace in the mix, that left six humans. And with Eyelash able to either ride or carry, that meant that there were eight riders and seven ducks or seven riders and eight carriers. Despite this math, Amy remained insistent that Grace not be involved anywhere near direct confrontation with the agents and that she would be safer playing bodyguard to the princess, so Usopp, in all his brilliance, constructed a dummy for eyelash to carry._

 **Flashback end**

The Rebel Army was approaching at well over two million strong. Their leader, Kohza, was in the front atop a horse as black as midnight. He was a man of average height with shaggy, dirty blond hair and a scar that ran down next to his left eye. The Rebels were coming in quickly, battle cries on their lips and swords in their hands. The trio of Vivi, Coby, and Grace had planted themselves in their way so the army would need to go past them to reach the city. The army, or at least Kohza or his commanders, would see the three, Kohza would recognize Vivi, and they would explain what was going on.

That plan nearly went down the drain. Just as the army was coming into eyesight, a cannonball from the city hit the ground, kicking up a dust cloud and obscuring vision on both sides.

"What are they thinking?" Vivi thought out loud, shielding her eyes with a hand.

"I can't see anything!" Grace complained, pulling her hat low to protect her eyes from the sand.

"Then they can't see us!" Coby pointed out, also protecting his eyes. "We're going to miss the Rebel Army at this rate! If they don't trample us!"

"How are we going to stop them?" Vivi panicked. The army's shouts were getting closer. A sense of dèja vu came over Coby and a memory of Nanohana stirred in his mind.

"Cover your ears," the male told them as he transformed, sucking in a breath. He let out a roar that reverberated through the air. His call was even heard in the palace where Chaka, the king's second advisor, was watching over the battlefield preparations. The sound washed over the angry men in the dessert and filled them with fear; they'd never heard a noise like that. Fear of the unknown in the sand pushed at Kohza's mind.

"Halt!" he ordered, his left hand in the air making a fist. "Everybody halt!" His generals copied the sign and slowed to a nervous stop, the rest of the army following in their example. Their ungulates (hooved animals) shifted, scared of this new creature and where it might lie on the food chain. Kohza squinted into the settling sand. Three shadows faded into view as the grains settled to the ground. It was silent.

"Leader!" Vivi cried, rushing forward. The man was so surprised at Vivi's sudden appearance that his did not notice the two young pirates, Coby having reverted back into his human form. "Leader, stop this!"

"V-Vivi?" Kohza stuttered as she dragged him off his horse and into a hug. "Vivi, is it really you?"

"It's me, Leader," the princess affirmed, crying into his shoulder.

"Vivi," Kohza muttered, hugging her back. "I thought you were dead. We hadn't gotten word in so long."

"I was away for over two years, but now I'm back. You have to stop this attack, Kohza. Thousands of innocent people could die. The war was a set up."

"A set up?" Kohza growled, suddenly angry at the mention of the war. "Your father and his Dance Powder sent this country into a drought and then he wouldn't use it to make it rain like it used to!"

"It wasn't my father!" Vivi argued. "He was framed! That's where I've been these past two years! I infiltrated a criminal syndicate called Baroque Works and learned that their boss is Crocodile the Warlord and that he framed my father to start a civil war to tear this country apart!"

"Do you expect me to believe that Crocodile is the reason for this war?! He's a hero!"

"It's a front," a new voice interrupted, a hand tugging on the hem of Kohza's sleeve. The two older teens looked down to see Grace on Vivi's left side and Coby on the other. "I'm Grace, but I was called Ms. Goldenweek before I left Baroque Works. Nice to meet you."

"You were a member of this 'Baroque Works'?" It was obvious that the rebel did not believe her. "You're, what, 11?"

"I'm 13," Grace responded, mildly annoyed. "I was the youngest member, but also one of the strongest."

"Really?" Kohza was still skeptical, but he brushed it off. "Speaking of strong, what was that noise?"

"That was me," Coby spoke up. "I'm Coby, a member of the Straw Hat Pirates. I ate the Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit: Model Triceratops."

"You're a pirate?" Kohza growled at Coby, pulling his sword out from the sheath at his hip. "What are you doing near Vivi, you sea scum?" The boy growled back, a deep rumble that should not come from someone of Coby's size rolling out of the back of the boy's throat.

"Vivi is under the protection of the Straw Hat Pirates until this war is over," Coby rumbled, growing with each word until he was in his Hybrid Mode. "You got a problem with that?" Kohza stepped back, stunned at the display.

"Coby, stop it," Vivi ordered, throwing her right hand out in front of the rosette. "Zoro's rubbed off on you too much if you're trying to pick a fight now."

"Sorry, Vivi," Coby apologized sheepishly, shrinking back. "I guess that 'sea scum' remark hit harder than I thought it had."

"No, it's fine. But, Leader, before I go on, I need to tell you. I think that Baroque Works has infiltrated both the Royal Army and the Rebel Army."

"Why would you think that?" Kohza asked.

"That way, if it seemed they were trying to find peace diplomatically, one side or the other would fire, sparking war again."

"But what proof do you have?"

"That cannonball that came down right before we started talking. Chaka and my father aren't stupid; they wouldn't fire so early. I think that was one of the agents trying to make us miss each other."

"Let's just wait here," Coby suggested. "The rest of our crew are fighting the remaining agents as we speak. If you squint, you can see our sniper, doctor, and Grace's sister fighting two of them by the southeastern gate."

"Someone," Kohza ordered. "Give me a pair of binoculars." A pair were placed into his open hand. He brought them to his face and scanned the area he mentioned. There were five people, none of whom Kohza had ever seen before, in what seemed to be a battle. While he watched that fight, Vivi knelt to Coby's level to talk to him.

"Coby. Take Grace and walk around the Rebel Army. Try to find any Baroque Works agents you can. If we can get them to talk, Kohza will know we aren't lying.

"Sure thing. Come on, Grace."

"Fine," Grace yawned. "Carry me?"

"Now of all times?" Grace didn't respond, only lifting her arms forward. Coby facepalmed, but transformed.

"Nami was right," Vivi mused as the two set off. "How did I miss that?"

 **End of Chapter 38**

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 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	39. Straw Hats vs Baroque Works

**We reached 200 reviews! What a milestone. I just want to thank everyone who has taken the time to write all of the reviews that have gotten us to this point. And special shout outs to aslan333, Bobboky, Caraline Fisher, gamelover41592, Midnightscar17, Miss Meep - A, and The Keeper of Worlds for being common reviewers. It's always nice to hear what you all think. And a shout out to Dyrnwyn1994 who gave the 200th review of Coby's Choice. I couldn't have done it without all of you.**

 **On another note, this chapter is going to take us over the 100K word count. It feels like just last week I was posting the first two chapters and now here we are. What a day.**

 **This chapter is almost all fighting. Sorry Caraline Fisher, but it's kind of a staple for this arc. Either way, I think the results are pretty obvious. Still, you should at least read the last few paragraphs of each if you choose to skim.**

* * *

 **Chapter 39:**

 **Straw Hats VS Baroque Works**

 **Usopp, Chopper, and Amy VS the Mr. 4 Pair**

 _Mr. 4 and Ms. Merrychristmas caught their prey just outside of the southeast entrance, one of Mr. 4's exploding baseballs knocking two of the figures off of their ducks. The birds were knocked unconscious, but the humans stood up as the agents revealed themselves._

 _"Well?" Ms. Merrychristmas demanded. "Which one of you is the princess? Which one, huh? Which one?"_

 _"Sorry to disappoint you, Ms. Merrychristmas," a woman's voice laughed from under the hood of the human still on their duck, "but none of us are the princess. Kyahahaha!" The three threw their robes away, exposing Usopp, Chopper, and Amy to the dessert sun._

 _"We will-" Usopp began. "Ahh! It's a mole-woman!"_

 _"Oh God!" Chopper yelled. "You're right! I didn't think they existed!"_

 _"Ha... Ha... Ha," Mr. 4 laughed as his partner streamed. She hadn't even transformed yet. The woman rushed forward, hoping to quickly kill these pesky pirates and the traitorous woman._

As she ran, Ms. Merrychristmas changed into her hybrid form, claws sprouting from her fingers and toes and a mole's nose replacing her own. She became a mole-woman.

"Ah!" Usopp screamed. "She turned into a penguin!"

"I'm a mole, you moron!" she yelled before burrowing into the ground.

"Chopper," Amy whispered. "Long-Nose, listen. Mr. 4 is a batter that hits exploding baseballs shot by his dog-gun. Don't ask me how that works; I don't know how it happened. I'll deal with Ms. Merrychristmas. Just avoid the holes."

"What holes?" Chopper asked.

"Go!" Amy ordered without any more explanation. She hopped onto Usopp's shoulder before jumping into the air and floating upwards.

"She's ditching us!" Usopp cried.

"What?!" Chopper panicked. There was a loud crack before more could be said and a large explosion bloomed into existence in front of the two males, flinging them backwards.

"I did warn them," Amy sighed. She looked down on their battlefield, which was now riddled with holes big enough for a person of Ms. Merrychristmas' figure. Amy had a rough estimate of the mole-woman's fighting style, so she knew that she would need to get rid of her tunnels to win. There was another crack causing Amy to quickly take in her surroundings. A baseball was coming toward her.

"Oh shit!" Amy increased her mass to 30 kilograms and dropped 15 feet before leveling out. The projectile soared over her head and exploded behind her harmlessly. The woman rode out the blast using her experience from working with Mr. 5 and rose further into the air.

"Kyahahaha!" Amy laughed. "Nice try, Mr. 4, but you're too slow!" Down on the ground, Usopp and Chopper were stirring back to consciousness.

"Ow," Usopp whined. "What hit us?"

"Mr. 4 did, you morons!" Ms. Merrychristmas laughed, popping out of the ground next to the sniper. She took great pleasure in the look of terror on the pirate's face. "He's our fourth batter. He may be slow, but when his gun spits out its time bombs, there's no one who can beat him." Chopper shifted into his Heavy Point and punched at the woman who ducked into her hole.

"She sure is one talkative penguin, isn't she?" Usopp questioned.

"I'm a mole!" said woman yelled from the tunnels.

"Forget about her," Chopper told him. "Amy said to focus on Mr. 4. Let's go."

"Uh, you go ahead. I think my ICan'tFightBattersWithExplodingBaseballs-itis is acting up."

"Shut up, Usopp. That's not even a real disease."

"How do you know?"

"I'm a doctor," Chopper deadpanned. "Come on!" Chopper took off toward the batter, leaving Usopp to follow lest he be left behind at the mole-woman's mercy. From somewhere behind them, the man's dog-gun spat a triad of bombs which the blond hit into the sky in an attempt to shoot Amy down. She deftly avoided all three.

Usopp sped ahead, pulling out a giant hammer with 5t painted in red on the side.

"Usopp Giant Hammer!" The teen brought the weapon down on Mr. 4, hitting him in the face. The man fell backwards.

"Get out of the way!" Amy shouted to the others. "10,000 Kilogram Press!" She came down on Mr. 4, violently crushing him into the dirt. Blood flew from his mouth as the force damaged his inside before his head thumped against the ground. The shockwave blew Usopp and Chopper over as cracks spiraled out from the impact point. The ground, weakened from the tunnels Ms. Merrychristmas had dug, started caving inward.

"Are you trying to kill us?!" Usopp yelled hysterically, pulling himself to his feet and stomping over the chocolateir. "You almost crushed us and you stole my win!"

"I saw a chance and I took it," Amy argued, getting off the batter and in the sniper's face. Neither one noticed the dog/gun hybrid that run over and started trying the wake the man by licking his face. Mr. 4 twitched, but he did not stir. "Did you want to drag out this fight?"

"Well, no," Usopp conceded, "but that's not the point! It's the principle of the thing!"

"Uh, guys?" Chopper tried to say. The mole-woman watched from one of her surviving holes, confused about how someone as scrawny as Usopp could wield a five-ton hammer.

"Who cares about principle? If you find an out, you end it! That's it!"

"I do! I care! Brave warriors don't use sneak attacks to win! They fight their foes head on like the giants of Elbaf!"

"We don't have time for this," Chopper told them. He was ignored.

"Those 'brave warriors', as you called them, nearly died from sneak attacks and underhanded tactics! Your crew is the only reason they're alive right now!"

Chopper sighed. It seemed those two would be yelling at each other for a while, so it was up to him the finish their fight. He locked his gaze on Ms. Merrychristmas who was still staring at Usopp and his giant hammer in horror. Bringing out and eating a Rumble Ball, Chopper bent down and changed into his Horn Point before charging. As much as Chopper loved Usopp as a friend and companion, he had to admit that sneak attacks were more effective for people who weren't the Monster Trio. He came within 15 feet of the Baroque Works agent before she noticed his presence, but that was enough time for her to duck into the hole.

Chopper followed her. He jumped into the hole to find a web of interconnected tunnels with Ms. Merrychristmas' scent all over them. Using his nose, Chopper followed the strongest scent into the rightmost tunnel.

"Do you really think you can beat me?" the woman's voice echoed through the tunnel. "Do ya? Do ya really?"

"I don't have a choice," the reindeer called in the general direction of the sound. "My captain is counting on me. Failure isn't an option."

"Of course it is," Ms. Merrychristmas taunted from the opposite direction. "It was for him. We got word that he died some time ago. He's a failure! A no-good, dead failure!"

"He's not dead!" Chopper snapped. "Don't lie to me!" There was no response. Chopper was still. Having lost her trail, he stayed put in the tunnel. Dirt shifting under him was the only warning the doctor had before the mole-woman appeared beneath him. She rocketed upward, forcing him up and through the ground. Chopper coughed blood, both her claws and the hard earth doing damage to his body.

Thinking quickly, Chopper changed into his Heavy Point and grabbed the woman by her face to pull her out of the ground with him. He threw her up before shifting into Arm Point and attacking.

"Carving Hoof Cross!" He hit her crossed arms, blasting her away. The woman landed on her back with a crack.

"That hurt, dammit! Hurt, hurt, hurt!" She dove into the ground, digging toward the reindeer, dirt rising where she passed. The woman reached him, jumping out of the earth with a cry of "Mole-Mole Slash!" Her claws shot up, cutting a gash in Chopper's side. He hissed.

In response, Chopper brought his fist up in an uppercut, hitting the agent in the chin and sending her away from the ground. He morphed into Jump Point and followed in to the air where he pushed her higher with his legs.

"Ahhhhhh!" Ms. Merrychristmas screamed, the sound finally catching Amy's attention.

"We'll continue this later, Long-Nose," she growled, jumping up to use his face as a springboard. She floated up into the air, spinning her parasol like an airplane's propeller until she was over Ms. Merrychristmas. "10,000 Kilogram Press!"

The two women hit the ground, forming another crater. Chopper looked on cautiously as the dust settled, revealing Amy sitting on the back of the still form of a human Ms. Merrychristmas. Her tunnels continued to collapse underneath them.

"D-Did you kill her?" Chopper stuttered.

"Of course not," Amy waved off. "She has information we could use. Wakey-wakey!" Amy's eyes gained a sadistic gleam as she smacked the unconscious woman beneath her. The Mole-woman stirred as Amy increased the mass of her hand, leaving red marks on the agent's cheeks. "Come on, Ms. Merrychristmas. Let's not make this harder than it has to be. What's the next part of Croc's plan?"

"You'll never get me to talk. Nu-uh, never, no way!"

"I was kind of hoping you'd say that," Amy grinned. "Crescendo Stone. 50 kilos... 100 kilos... 150 kilos... 200 kilos... 250 kilos..."

"Stop it!" the woman begged. "Stop it! My back! It hurts!"

"300... You always were complaining about your back, weren't you? How about this? You tell us everything you know and our doctor heals you up good as new. Back and all."

"No way! Nope! Nu-uh!" The mole-woman had tears in her eyes.

"325... 350... 375..."

"Okay!" Ms. Merrychristmas gave in. "Okay, okay, okay! Mr. 0 ordered us to kidnap the king so that stupid moron, Mr. 2, could attack some town to force the rebellion! The king's behind some cliff south of the city! That's all I know! I swear! All I know, know, know! I swear!"

"Thank you for your cooperation. Chopper, you're up!" Amy chopped the woman's neck with a weighted hand, knocking her unconscious. Chopper shuffled over and started examining the woman's injuries. Amy sauntered over to Usopp who was visibly shaking from watching the torment the blonde had just inflicted. "And that's how you get information. You heard all that, right?" He nodded. "Take one of the ducks. Head towards the Rebel Army and tell them everything we learned. The princess'll want to get her father."

"Who put you in charge?" Amy glared at him. "I mean, right away!" Usopp ran to the still-conscious member of the Super Sonic Duck Squadron and took off toward the shadow in the distance that he assumed to be the Rebels.

 **Usopp, Chopper, and Amy VS the Mr. 4 Pair**

 **Winners: The Straw Hats**

* * *

 **Sanji and Gin VS Mr. 2**

 _Mr. 2 stopped his duo outside the south gate, blocking it and taking a fighting stance. The two pulled to a stop and dismounted lightly._

 _"Is one of you the one we're looking for?" he asked excitedly._

 _"Afraid not," the first of the two replied, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. The duo tossed their cloaks to the wind, showing Sanji and Gin. "And let me tell you, you are one ugly-ass man."_

 _"I'm an Okama, you jerk!" Mr. 2 retorted. "Beware, for I will take you both down with my Newkama Kenpo!"_

 _"Oh no," Gin rolled his eyes. "I'm so scared, I'm shaking in my shoes."_

 _"As you should be!" Bon Clay responed, not catching the sarcasm in the pirate's tone._

 _"Can we get this over with?" Sanji questioned. "I'm running low on cigarettes and the sooner this war is stopped, the sooner I can stop rationing."_

 _"Fine then. Prepare yourselves! Memoir of a Winter Sky!"_

The chef and the demon dove to either side as the ground they'd been standing on shattered under the force of the man's toes.

"You've got some pretty strong legs," Sanji smirked as Mr. 2 spun around to try to ax kick him. Sanji countered, catching the man's hairy leg with his own. "But then again, so do I."

"Just who are you?" Mr. 2 asked, his eyes narrowing at the blond.

"Me? I'm just the chef of a pirate ship."

"Don't forget about me," Gin called, bringing one of his tonfa down to break Mr. 2's leg. The man twirled out of the way, aiming his other foot to take the Man-Demon's head off. Gin brought up his other spinning tonfa, the iron meeting the foot at full speed and ceasing all movement.

"Alright, Okama," Sanji taunted. "Let's dance."

"Oh, I do love dancing! Remembrance of that Summer Sky!" Bon Clay launched forward gracefully, twisting his body to dodge Gin's attacks while meeting Sanji's kicks blow-for-blow. "Oh ho! You've got this spark in you. I like that."

"Back off!" Sanji yelled, his kick speeding up to catch the okama's bent leg. Mr. 2 was sent skidding back, Gin's tonfa smashing the ground where he'd been. "I fight for the ladies and only the ladies! You got that?"

"Oh, you haven't accepted yourself, have you?" Mr. 2 questioned sadly. "I shall have to help you with that if you survive. Un, deux, trois!" Bon Clay leapt forward, ducking under Gin's tonfa to kick the Man-Demon in the chest before exchanging rapid-fire kicks with the irate chef. Gin slid backwards, growling in pain.

"Are you implying I'm gay?!" Sanji yelled angrily, kicking as fast as he could. Bon Clay met him blow-for-blow. "I fight for the beautiful women of the world! What in that gives you the conclusion that I'm gay?!"

"Oh, you poor, confused boy. I'll have to force your eyes open to the freedom of erk-"

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Gin interrupted, landing a blow to the man's face. "I doubt you could to anything to Sanji, but I won't take that chance."

"You don't trust my sexuality either?!"

"No chances," Gin repeated. "I like our crew the way it is, thank you very much."

"You fools!" Mr. 2 cried. "Moral obligations aside, do you really think you have a chance of defeating Baroque Works?"

"We've already stolen three of your best agents," Gin pointed out, including Vivi in his count. "Plus we beat how many already? Let's see... 100 at Whisky Peak... I guess we technically only beat two in Little Garden..."

"It doesn't matter!" Mr. 2 shouted, leaping forward. Gin twisted out of the way, barely avoiding the attack. Sanji sprung out from behind him, his leg swinging out to introduce Bon Clay's face to his steel-toed shoe. The Okama was sent backward until his back met the sand, kicking up a dust cloud that covered the area and hid him from vision.

"Was that it?" Gin questioned, eyeing the dust cloud.

"I don't think so," Sanji replied warily. "Crocodile isn't an idiot. If this guy's a number agent, he's got to have some skill."

"Red Dance of the Autumn Leaves!" Mr. 2 sprinted out of the cloud, reaching the pirates within a matter of seconds. There, his extended his right leg up in a perfect split, kicking Gin in the chin. The former Krieg pirate was launched into the air, hacking up blood and losing his grip on his weapons. Vaugely, Gin wondered to himself why it was that kicks always defeated him. To finish his attack, Bon Clay switched legs and kicked Gin in the stomach, sending him into the wall surrounding Alubarna. The man's body impaled the wall, his legs dangling several feet over the ground.

Thinking fast, the chef quickly kicked Gin's falling weapons, launching them at the Okama. Mr. 2 batted them to the left, but this left him open from his right. Sanji swept his remaining leg out from under him before hopping into a handstand and wrapping both of his legs around the man's waist. Sanji twisted, forcing Mr. 2's momentum to change directions. The Okama faceplanted, eating sand.

The pirate stood and prepared to finish the fight, but his foe rolled out of the way at the last second, avoiding the small, cracked crater the force of Sanji's ax kick made on the ground.

"You're pretty good, Chef-chan," Bon Clay admitted, "but my next attack will have you rolling on the floor laughing, unable to protect yourself! The silliest hairstyle. The funniest eyes. The most ridiculous nose. The strangest mouth. These elements come together to form my Clone-Clone Montage. Behold! The world's funniest face!" Sanji stared at him blankly. "Why aren't you laughing?"

"You just added Usopp's nose to your face."

"Well fine. If that's not going to work..." The man changed his face agian, taking on the appearance of the Straw Hats' oldest swordsman, Zoro. "You wouldn't attack your own crewmate, would you?"

Sanji gave him an "are you kidding me?" look before nailing him in the face.

"You jerk!" Bon Clay fumed, reverting back to his regular form. "You just attacked your friend!"

"You're still you," Sanji pointed out. "Your clothes didn't even change. Plus I kick that Moss-Head all the time." He glanced behind the man. "Oh my Goda! That store has a two-for-one deal on eyeliner and mascara!"

"What?! Where?!" Mr. 2 yelled excitedly. While he was distracted, Sanji attacked.

"Mutton Shot!" The chef's leg crushed Bon Clay's face into the hard earth, forcing him into unconsciousness. "Damn it," Sanji swore, lighting a cigarette. "Gin might have been on to something. I did that way too well." He wandered over to where his friend was and pulled him out of the wall, shaking him until the Man-Demon came to. "Oi! Gin. Pull yourself together. You look like shit."

"Hey, Sanji?" Gin ground out, still not fully awake. "You got any more cigarettes?"

"A few. Why?"

"You look badass from this direction."

"Are you going to start smoking?"

"Yeah..." Gin mumbled, feeling the urge to fall back into the land of dreams. "Why the Hell not?"

 **Sanji and Gin VS Mr. 2**

 **Winner: Sanji**

* * *

 **Nami VS the Ms. Doublefinger**

 _Mr. 1 and Ms. Doublefinger had to sneak into the city before catching up to their opponents. They found them waiting in the middle of an average road. No words were spoken as the disguises were thrown away; a man, a woman, and a dummy on the camel._

 _"Sorry," Nami taunted. "Not the princess you're looking for. You'll never get her either. Now get 'em, Zoro!"_

 _"Yeah, yeah," the green-haired man waved off._

 _"Well, Ms. Doublefinger, is seems we've been had."_

 _"So it seems, Mr. 1."_

 _"I'll take the man."_

 _"Then I'll take the girl." Their plan established, the agents rushed forward to face their foes._

Nami and Zoro split up, the swordsman running to the left and the navigator to the right. More than likely, the agents' teamwork would be better than their own, so 1-vs-1 fights gave them a higher chance of success. Nami dove into an alley and ran to the end, tearing her cover up on the way for more maneuverability.

"There's no point in running," Ms. Doublefinger taunted from the alley's entrance, a lit pipe in one hand. She sauntered forward, her legs crossing with every step and her hips swaying back and forth far too much to be normal. "Give up now and I won't kill you."

"Fat chance, lady," Nami shot back as she pulled out three blue poles. "I had our sniper make the perfect weapon for a navigator like me: The Clima-Tact. Plus I got some practice in while running from marines in Nanohana."

"So you have three sticks. Big deal." Nami did not respond. Placing one of the pieces of her weapon in her mouth, the navigator spun the other two, blue-tinted balls of air coming out of the one in her left hand and red-tinted air balls from the one in her right. Some of the balls floated over toward the agent, the blue ones making her shiver slightly. The rest worked their way upward toward the sky.

"That feels nice," Ms. Doublefinger sighed.

"It won't for long! Cyclone Tempo!" Two poles locked in an X shape launched at Ms. Doublefinger, forcing her to dive out of the way and losing her tobacco in the process. The attack doubled back, nearly hitting the agent in the back of the head before locking back with the third pole.

"It seems I underestimated you, girl," the agent spat, standing up and batting some hair away from her eyes. "I'll just have to take you seriously. Spiky Fists." Much to Nami's surprise, the Baroque Works agent flexed, hidden muscles and miniature spikes shredding her jacket. Most of the spikes receded, but the ones on her forearms and hands lengthened to about four inches each.

"Oh crud." Nami dove out of the way as Ms. Doublefinger shot forward with her right fist leading, piercing the air where Nami's heart had been. The navigator bolted, the agent following with a sadistic grin.

"Carue! Help me!"

"Whaa!" the duck yelled, running in and blindsiding the agent. While surprised, Ms. Doublefinger quickly spun around and retaliated with a backfist. Carue was thrown into a wall by the force of her punch, a small hole staining the feathers of his shoulder red. He slumped, is head bleeding from the impact.

"Damn duck," Ms. Doublefinger growled. "Now come out, girl!"

"I'm over here, tramp!" Nami's voice called, the insult angering the agent who spun around and locked her eyes on the orange-haired girl. Shooting forward faster than Nami had thought she could, the woman sprouted spikes from her fingers and shoved them into the pirate's chest.

Or, she would have if she had been there. The image of the girl fell apart, fading away like morning mist in the noonday sun.

"You've got to be careful in this heat," Nami taunted, walking out from behind a handful of barrels on the other side of the street as arrogance filled her. "Apparently, it can cause mirages."

"You bitch!" Ms. Doublefinger shouted, running toward the navigator. Nami fired another Cyclone Tempo at the woman, but she dodged to the side and punched. Nami attempted to get out of the way, but the spiked fist tore into the skin of her left shoulder. Turning, Nami tried to dash away, but a spike penetrated her right heel, causing the girl to crumple into the dirt.

"Not too tough are you now, little girl?" Ms. Doublefinger leaned over the pirate, wishing to see her handiwork before finishing her opponent off. Nami rolled onto her back and pointed her weapon at the woman.

"Thunder Tempo!" she yelled, a boxing glove on a spring coming out of the end of the Y-shaped Clima-Tact. The rubber glove punched a surprised Ms. Doublefinger in the face, causing her to stumble backward and into the shade of a black cloud.

"I've got you now!" Nami declared, standing up painfully. "Today's forecast calls for spontaneous thunderstorms above number agents. All remaining Baroque Works employees are encouraged to stay outside for the show. Thunderbolt Tempo!" The pirate launched a Thunder Ball into the raincloud she'd formed over the street, the ball charging the atoms and causing a bolt of lightning to plunge from within and strike the Baroque Works agent. Ms. Doublefinger wobbled, her hair standing on end, before she fell forward.

Carue snuck forward and poked the agent with one of his wings, but there was no reaction whatsoever from the woman save fora twitch of her eye.

 **Nami vs. Ms. Doublefinger**

 **Winner: Nami**

* * *

Crocodile touched down just outside of Alubarna, coming together piece-by-piece from the sand cloud he'd moved across the dessert as. The Warlord had taken his sweet time with the knowledge that Straw Hat was dead and that Alabasta would fall by the end of the next day at the latest. He stepped forward for the first time in several hours and looked around. This was the meeting spot; he was certain that he had gotten that across to those idiots. Where were they?

The Warlord growled has he trudged around the rocky outcropping. None of his agents were to be found, only their handiwork in the form of a tied up and gagged King Cobra Nefertari. The man was on his stomach trying to wiggle toward a gargantuan shadow in the dessert.

"Those morons," Crocodile growled, eyeing the Rebel Army in the distance. His voice made the king twist around in surprise. He glared at the sand-man, showing that he knew that the war was the man's doing. "They can sneak through impenetrable defenses to steal a king without getting caught, but can't kill one little princess and a tiny pirate crew. I guess it's a good thing I wasn't really after the country." Cobra's eyes widened. "Tell me, King Cobra, where is the ancient weapon Pluton?"

 **End of Chapter 39**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	40. The Captain's Return

**Chapter 40:**

 **The Captain's Return**

The world! What a glorious place! Seek freedom, and it will lie stretched out before your eyes. If the endless dream guides your restless spirit, seize it! Raise your flag and stand tall!

* * *

 _"Those morons," Crocodile growled, eyeing the Rebel Army in the distance. "They can sneak through impenetrable defenses to steal a king without getting caught, but can't kill one little princess and a tiny pirate crew. I guess it's a good thing I wasn't really after the country." Cobra's eyes widened. "Tell me, King Cobra, where is the ancient weapon Pluton?"_

Cobra shuffled away, something sounding like "I don't know, but even if I did, I'd never tell you, you bastard," working its way around the gag in his mouth. Crocodile sighed. Why couldn't someone just agree for once?

"You won't tell me, then? A pity really. If you had, then I would have left your daughter alone, but if you won't cooperate..." The Warlord twisted into a sandstorm and picked up the king before rocketing toward the army in the dessert. As they got closer, it became clear that a group of people were being weeded out of the ranks, some of them not-so-peacefully if the small pile of wounded soldiers was of any indication.

"We've got another one, Vivi," Coby called, lumbering through the crowd in his Dino Mode and carrying a man who was grasping his stomach and wheezing. Grace lifted the man's right sleeve to show his Baroque Works tattoo.

"And that makes 18," Vivi counted from beside Kohza. The agent said nothing; he only laughed loudly, a yellow design painted on his neck. "I always did wonder why all the Millions and Billions got tattoos of a super-secret criminal organization. I guess it was that time that a huge storm left them all grounded on the island known for it's booze."

"Don't let Zoro-sensei hear there's an island around known for just booze," Coby smirked, changing back. "I'd rather avoid the mutiny he'd start if Luffy refused to go there."

"Yes," Vivi laughed, allowing herself to smile. "Mr. Bushido wouldn't be able to find the island even if he had a hundred eternal poses."

"I'd heard you'd betrayed us, Ms. Goldenweek," Crocodile said emotionlessly, materializing behind Vivi. The princess jumped and backed away from him, her good mood instantly gone. Kohza turned, but he was still in shock that the hero of Alabasta was trying to destroy it. "It seems Mr. 3's report was not exaggerated."

"Crocodile," Coby growled, a deep, animalistic rumble reverberating from his throat as Grace ducked behind him to hide from her old boss. "Where is Captain Luffy?"

"Oh, do back off, boy. I'm out of your league and you know it. I'd kill you just like I did that pathetic captain of yours." He turned to face the princess."I'm surprised you've survived this long, Ms. Wednesday. It's becoming apparent that you were one of my most competent agents. I suppose that's a good thing since I can use your survival to my favor. You're coming with me." He reached toward Vivi, tendrils of sand spiraling out to grab the blunette. Coby interrupted the abduction, leaping in front of the blunette in his Hybrid Mode and batting the sand away with the flat of his blades.

"You'll have to get through me to get to Vivi!" Coby yelled, readying himself. The Warlord's face did not change as he gazed at the foolish child before him. With the slightest twitch on his fingers, sand twisted out like a whip at the other Devil Fruit user. Coby batted away the first strike, but the second caught him off guard. It slammed into his stomach, sucking out water as he was flung into the dessert.

"Coby!" Vivi cried out in worry.

"Colors Trap: Sadness Blue!" Grace's paint splattered onto Crocodile's back.

"Nice try," the sand-man complemented, the area with the paint cracking and falling away. "But that won't work on a logia like me." Sand rose from the desert below the Warlord, blasting the girl backwards. "Now Ms. Wednesday, if you value these children's lives, you'll come quietly like your dear father here." Another gesture and Cobra's struggling form floated over.

"Father!" Vivi wrestled with her emotions. Next to her, Kohza was still in shock at the actions of Alabasta's hero. "Please. You can have me, just let him go."

"I'm afraid that's not how it works," Crocodile smirked, the desert rising to trap the princess. "You see, I need you to get him to tell me what I want to know."

"You basta-" Sand shot up, muffling the female before she could finish her insult. A handful of cracks filled the are as a portion of Kohza's generals and the old Sand-Sand Clan fired at the Warlord, but the bullets did nothing to the Devil Fruit user. Crocodile laughed as he flew away, his lower body nothing more than a sandstorm and both royals captured.

"Damn it!" Coby cried, punching the soft sand beneath him with tears in his eyes. Grace silently rubbed circles on his back, glaring in Crocodile's general direction. "Where's Captain Luffy?! He... He said he'd kick Crocodile's ass!"

"He'll be back," she stated. "If I've learned anything about our captain since joining, it's that he's too stubborn to just die."

* * *

Crocodile set down in the middle of the castle lawn, the unconscious forms of many castle guards strewn about. Nico Robin was waiting for him, casually leaning against a column of the palace. Beside her knelt one of Alabasta's Guardians, Chaka the Jackal. The man, who had a hooked nose, a darker complexion, and black hair cut to a medium length was tied up, bruises covering his face and blood staining his clothes. His eyes fluttered as he struggled to remain conscious.

"My Lord," he wheezed, barely making out the king's image. "Princess. I failed. 4:30. There's a bo... a bom..." The man slumped, too weak to remain awake and his warning unfinished.

"It looks like you had fun," Crocodile chuckled, his eyes locking with the dark-haired woman's. "Now I do believe it is time for the information we talked about. King Cobra, where is the Pluton?" Vivi stared, confused. Was this the reason Crocodile was willing to rip apart her country and ruin countless lives? She'd never heard of this Pluton, but, based on Cobra's facial expression, her father had. He didn't answer until the Warlord formed a sword out of sand and pointed it at Vivi's throat.

"I don't know," Cobra ground out, his eyes trying to stare daggers into the man holding him and his daughter prisoner. "I've never seen it. Nor have I wanted to. No man was meant to wield that much power."

"But you _are_ aware of its existence. That is something. We'll compromise then. You can't take me to Pluton, so take me to your Poniglyph instead."

"Please," the king begged. "I will do as you ask, just please, spare my daughter. Even if this kingdom were to fall, even if you kill me, let her live her life."

"Father, no!" Vivi cried, struggling. "But the kingdom-"

"Is not as important to me as you are," Cobra cut her off. "I know it's selfish, but your safety takes priority over my life. And the people of the country are more important than a seat on the World Council of Kingdoms. What do you say, Crocodile?"

"I will not kill her if you take me to the Poniglyph," Crocodile swore, removing his sand sword from Vivi's neck. Her bonds stayed on as those of her father crumpled away. "Come, Ms. Allsunday," Crocodile ordered, moving Vivi to bury her up to her neck in sand against the pillar next to the unconscious Chaka. She cried as the trio made their exit, the sand holding Vivi in place until the three were too far away for her to catch up. The grains fell loosely, allowing her to pull herself out from underneath it. She crawled over to Chaka and checked his vitals. Confirming that he was still alive, the princess moved to care for him and the other guards to save as many of them as she could.

She had to keep her mind off of Crocodile. She couldn't think about how he could be killing her father. She couldn't let her brain admit that, if Crocodile was here, that Luffy had lost. That Luffy was dead.

She couldn't...

But she did. The thoughts came unbidden, surging forward one after another despite her attempts to banish them. Fresh tears fell from her eyes and she finally gave in to the despair within her heart. That was it. Luffy was dead. Crocodile had won.

But just when all hope was lost, a new development made itself known. A giant falcon swooped down from the sky, two people on its back. Luffy stepped forward, Nami sleeping in his arms and a large barrel of water with a hose strapped to his back, as Pell changed back to his human form. The teen had the most serious-looking face Vivi had ever seen, but her surprise at his appearance left that observation unnoticed for the first few seconds. She smiled and ran toward him until Luffy's words stopped her short.

"Where is Crocodile?" The captain's voice was low, deadly. He was in no mood for games. The Warlord's subordinates had nearly killed his girlfriend and he was going to get his revenge.

"Nami...?" Vivi questioned. "Is she...?"

"She's alive," Luffy sighed, a hint of happiness working its way into his tone. "Bird-guy and I found her and Carue on our way here. Carue was pretty beat up, too, but he insisted we bring Nami here first. Now, where is Crocodile?" Vivi flinched at the acid in his tone. She'd heard something similar whenever someone brought up the name of a pirate known as Krieg (who, it turned out, had died while attacking a restaurant a couple of months ago), but this was far deeper. Vivi could swear there was some force pushing on her, telling her to answer his question or fall unconscious.

"He took my father," the princess squeaked after a few seconds. "Crocodile forced my father to take him to something called a Poniglyph."

"No," Pell gasped.

"You know it?" Luffy asked.

"I do," the other Devil Fruit user nodded. "No one knows what it says, but legend has it that it tells of an ancient power."

"Pluton," Vivi muttered. "He said he's after Pluton."

"That's not good," Pell admitted. "Luckily, as one of the king's advisors, I know of the Poniglyph's location."

"Take me," Luffy ordered, leaving no room for debate. "I'll kick Croc's ass there."

"But-"

"Take. Me. There." Pell did not respond. He only transformed and offered his back. Luffy climbed on and the two took to the sky. Vivi watched them go before turning her attention to Nami. The navigator was covered in wounds, some still lightly bleeding, but most scabbed over. The worst wound was on her left shoulder, where much of the skin had been torn away, and a small hole through her right heel. They probably wouldn't scar if Chopper got to it fast enough. Vivi pulled out the first aid supplies she'd been using to care for the soldiers and started bandaging the pirate. After tying off the last knot, the shell on the other girl's right wrist caught her attention.

The den-den. Of course. Vivi scrambled over and opened the shell. The snail straightened, letting out its dial tone. Several seconds passed before the snail clicked and multiple voices answered.

"Hello?" Grace, Usopp, Sanji, and Chopper asked at the same time.

"Guys!" Vivi called, almost crying of joy. "Luffy's back!" The others cheered on their end until a new voice interrupted them.

"Vivi?" Kohza asked. He must have been using Grace's baby den-den. "Are you hurt? Where are you?"

"I'm in the castle," she answered. "How fast can you all get here?"

"I'm not sure. Within 15 minutes, I should think."

"Get over here. You too, Tony. Nami's with me, but she's hurt really badly. We need your help."

"My beautiful Nami-swan is hurt?!" Sanji yelled before hanging up in a hurry.

"Amy and I are on our way," the reindeer responded before he hung up as well.

"I'll see if I can find Zoro," Usopp said. "Who knows where he's gotten himself."

"Thanks, Usopp," Vivi told him before Chaka's unfinished words came back to her. "Be careful. I have a feeling Crocodile has a back-up plan somewhere in the city."

"I'll keep an eye out," Usopp told her before he, too, hung up, leaving Vivi only connected to Grace, Coby, and the Rebel Army.

"Hey, Vivi?" the blunette heard Coby ask over the transponder snail. "You said Captain Luffy was back, right?"

"Yes."

"Good," Coby sighed. "Me, Grace, and the Rebel leaders will head to the palace. Talk to the Royal Army, if you can."

"Sure thing." The line went dead with a CA-CHUCK, the snail going to sleep.

"Everyone, please hurry," Vivi prayed. "And Luffy. Be careful."

* * *

Pell dropped Luffy off in front of what looked like a tomb made of white marble. In the yard to the left, an open hidden stairway lay revealed, leading down into the underground.

"I've got it from here," Luffy told him. "Go help the others." Pell nodded before taking off. Luffy ran down the staircase, the walls and ceiling crumbling around him.

"Get ready, Crocodile," he warned, "cause I'm gonna kick your ass into next week."

 **End of Chapter 40**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	41. Luffy vs Crocodile: Round 2

**So I guess I forgot to mention that I didn't write out Zoro's fight. Looking back now, I probably could have, but the results would be exactly the same as in Canon, so I tried to leave it as is. All the other fights were different, but I couldn't think of anything that I mentioned that would have impacted Zoro's fight a great deal. Usopp and Chopper had help this time. So did Sanji. And Nami didn't have to learn how to use her weapon mid-fight, but Zoro? No changes.**

 **On a different note, I reached 200 Favorites! Yay! *Confetti rains from the clouds***

* * *

 **Chapter 41:**

 **Luffy VS. Crocodile, Round 2**

"There's a bomb?!" Usopp cried hysterically, running around the courtyard in a panic. The Straw Hats, covered in various injuries ranging from 'mildly annoying' to 'how-the-Hell-are-you-still-alive-and-conscious-Zoro?!', had gathered within the palace along with the Rebel leaders and Vivi. The princess had just explained that Crocodile's contingency plan, a bomb, was planted somewhere in the city set to go off at 4:30. That gave group 15 minutes to find it and shut it down. Chaka, who was sleeping in the palace where Vivi had moved him and the other living soldiers, had woken up long enough to tell Vivi what he knew before he was dragged back into the realm of unconsciousness.

"Yes," Vivi nodded, causing Usopp to let out a squeak. "Luckily, we have numbers on our side." She gestured to the courtyard where the Royal Army was waiting for orders. Word of the Rebel Army camping just outside of firing range had reached them and they were restless, some of them calling out to just go and attack them already. Vivi stepped up to the edge of the palace, catching their attention, and called down to them. "Royal Army! Many things have happened! Too many to explain in the time we have and I will explain when all this is over! For now, all you need to know is that the Rebels are not our enemies and that a bomb has been planted somewhere in the city with enough power to destroy everything in the area! It's set to go off at 4:30! Find it!"

The soldiers shouted their response and scattered throughout Alubarna on the lookout for this weapon of mass destruction. They were confused, of course, but the orders had come from Princess Vivi Nefertari herself; they weren't about to question them. Kohza and his generals wanted to leave to pull the Rebel Army into the city to help with the search, but Vivi advised against it since there were Baroque Works agents hiding inside the Royal Army and possibly some in the Rebels that had managed to avoid Coby and Grace. One attack and all their work could be undone.

"What are we waiting for?" Zoro asked. "Let's get looking."

"Just don't get lost, Moss-Head," Sanji muttered.

"What was that, Ero-Cook?" Zoro questioned, pulling out his swords.

"You heard me, Marimo!" Sanji shot back. Nami appeared behind them, bandaged but mostly healed, and beat both of them over the head.

"We don't have time for this, morons!" she yelled. "Now get out there!" The men ran as if their lives were in danger. Although, with Nami in the mix, that may have been a possibility. Vivi quickly joined the chase while Amy floated up into the air to survey the area.

With so many people searching, it was only a matter of time until the bomb was found in the clock tower and Mr. 7 and his crazy, frog-suit-wearing partner, Ms. Fathersday, were subdued. There were still five minutes on the bomb's timer, more than enough time for Pell to swoop in, take the bomb away from the city, and get back before the explosion destroyed the sand hills to the west. The blast superheated the sand to the point that everything in the bomb's five-kilometer diameter became shiny, reflective glass that gave the impression of standing on the sky. The people rejoiced while Vivi asked Coby and Grace to go through the Royal Army like they had the Rebels to find the agents hidden within.

"Straw Hats!" a voice yelled. The soldiers parted to show a group of marines led by Sergeant Major Tashigi into the square. She glared at Zoro in particular, but remained professional. "In the name of the World Government, you all are under arrest. Please come quietly. And where is your captain?"

"Please wait," Vivi tried to reason. She opened her mouth to say more, but before she could, something hit the ground between them and the marines.

* * *

This was not what Luffy had expected.

Upon reaching the bottom of the hidden stairway, the pirate captain had found three people in a large, crumbling room. The king, Vivi's father, Cobra, was glaring at an angry Crocodile while the Warlord's partner, Ms. Allsunday/Nico Robin, lay unmoving in front of a giant, black cube covered in unknown writing. The woman's white coat was stained red, a hole through her stomach much like the one that had been in Luffy the night before. However strange the situation, Luffy did not comment on it. He moved forward just outside of the enraged sand-man's vision.

"Where is the Pluton?" Crocodile demanded, punching the wall over Cobra's head. The king sneered at him.

"I led you to the Poniglyph," Cobra spat. "Are you not satisfied?"

"Of course I'm not," Crocodile growled. "Tell me where the Plu-" He was cut off as a wet fist slammed into his face, flinging Crocodile into the black cube where he exploded into powder. Luffy stepped over Cobra, ignoring the man's surprise.

"Excuse me," Luffy told him. "I need to kick this guy's ass real quick."

"What the Hell?" Crocodile growled, reforming himself and stepping over the bleeding woman. "How are you still alive? I left you with a hole in your stomach in the middle of the dessert!"

"It doesn't matter," Luffy stated. "Your company hurt Nami, so I'm going to beat the Hell out of you."

"Hahahaha!" Crocodile laughed, thin lines of blood running from his lips for the first time in years. "Are- haha! Are you saying that you're here to fight me again because one of my agents hurt your girlfriend? That's one of the stupidest things I think I've ever heard!"

"That's not the only reason I'm here. You threatened this country and the lives of my friends. I'll never forgive you."

"You think I care about your forgiveness?" the Warlord sneered. His remaining hand twisted the gold hook that took the place of his left, pulling it away to reveal a steel hook riddled with small holes underneath. A purple gas rose from the openings, releasing a putrid smell into the air. "I might have underestimated you earlier, but this time, you _will_ die." Crocodile lunged at the teen, his poisoned hook ready to impale the younger pirate. Luffy twisted out of the way, a glob of water coming out of the hose from the barrel on his back to hang in the air he'd just abandoned. The Warlord flew into the airborne liquid, dousing himself.

"I know your weakness," Luffy taunted as Crocodile angrily combed wet hair out of his face. "Water makes you solid, doesn't it? That's why you took away the rain."

"I'll give you props for figuring it out," the sand-man admitted, "but it doesn't matter. You'll die here with this pathetic king and Nico Robin and I'll take this country by force!" Crocodile propelled himself toward his foe once again, forcing Luffy to twist out of the way to avoid the toxic chemicals coming from the other Devil Fruit user's hook.

Using his momentum, Luffy brought his left hand around in a backhand strike, hitting the older pirate in the back of the head. Crocodile stumbled, but remained on his feet. He turned and lashed out with his hook, but Luffy's wiry frame was too nimble for him to hit so easily.

"Not so good now without your powers, are you?" Luffy asked, ducking forward to bury his fist in the other man's gut. Crocodile, however, refused to double over or rise to the obvious bait. The man's hand shot up, grabbing Luffy by the face and flinging him into one of the walls which caved and toppled. The younger pirate shoved the debris off of himself before throwing it at his foe. Crocodile shifted out of the way, letting the improvised projectile sail past him and into one of the remaining support pillars, said pillar crumbling from the force.

"Gum-Gum Gatling!" Luffy's arms shot out, several punches hitting the Warlord who tried to block with his hook. The poisoned appendage did nothing to stop the attack, but it did scratch the pirate, introducing its toxin into his system. Under the glare of the younger man, Crocodile pulled himself out of the wall Luffy's attack had pushed him into.

"It's too late, boy," the older man spat. "The poison is already in your bloodstream. You're done."

"I don't care!" Luffy yelled, his leg swinging out to kick his opponent. The appendage swept through the man, Crocodile having dried himself While in the wall to remove the water. Luffy let out an angry growl before stumbling, purple smoke rising from several cuts on his fists.

"Why do you fight so hard?" Crocodile asked. "You'd survive if you just abandoned the stupid princess and this pathetic excuse of a country."

"It's because Vivi's my friend!" Luffy responded, willing himself to overcome the poison in his system. "You've hurt her and tortured her so much! You want to destroy her country! And I won't let that happen!" The younger pirate brought the barrel of water in front of his face before punching it from both sides. The barrel caved, the water inside dousing Luffy from head to toe. The rubber-man's fists met in the middle with enough force to break the skin, covering his hands in not only water, but also his own blood. Crocodile watched him with a hint of annoyance.

"You've been a pain in my side for quite a while, Straw Hat. Now die!" Crocodile launched forward, his hook out to impale the younger male for a second time. Luffy waited before twisting, one hand pushing the man's hook down and into the ground while the other grabbed a fist full of the Warlord's hair and shoved his face into the teen's knee, breaking his nose. While he was dazed, Luffy flipped the man forward, Crocodile's hook dragging across the crumbling tile floor until it caught on a crack and snapped.

"You...!" the Warlord cried through a mouthful of blood as his broken hook clattered to the floor. He tried to form a complete sentence. This brat had the... the _audacity_ to show up, foil him at every turn, and now he was bleeding for the first time in years! "You...! You insolent welp! Just die already!" The broken remains of the poisoned hook popped off, a simple six-inch blade taking its place.

"Sorry to disappoint you, you sandy bastard," the raven-haired teen spat, raising his fists, "but I'm the man who'll be the King of the Pirates!" Luffy dodged under Crocodile's wild horizontal slash, his fist coming up in an uppercut that smashed into the Warlord's chin. The force pushed the older man off of the ground, but Luffy didn't stop there. Another uppercut bent Crocodile over at the waist before another snapped into his face. More and more punches pushed the Baroque Works leader further up until he was shoved against the roof. The shadows of the roof seemed to hide the Warlord and the fists pummeling him, but Luffy's hands gleamed in the darkness as if something was reflecting what little light there was.

Crocodile didn't understand. How was the boy keeping his hands wet? Luffy's knuckles had busted when he broke that barrel, but with his constitution, those should had scabbed by now. The confusion lasted for only a half second until a black fist slammed into his face, dazing him.

"Gum-Gum Bazooka!" Luffy yelled, one more hit blasting Crocodile through the roof, tearing through the bedrock and into Alubarna. The Warlord's unconscious form floated through the air for several seconds until gravity took hold of his body, depositing him in between a group of marines and the other Straw Hat Pirates, the man forming a small crater.

"S-Sir Crocodile!" Tashigi cried out in surprise. "What are you-?"

"Ha!" Usopp laughed out, interrupting the marine and kicking the unconscious Devil Fruit user in the side. "Take that, you stupid, country-ruining bastard!"

"Luffy did it," Vivi whispered, a happy tear rolling out of her eye. The pirates and the, admittedly confused, Royal Army celebrated, hugging Vivi and each other without a care for the government men and women only a few feet away. A fast minute later, Coby lumbered onto the scene in his Dino Mode, Grace and several depressed soldiers on his back. The two youngest pirates unceremoniously dumped the men next to their boss, their Baroque Works tattoos revealed to the world.

"These are the last of the royal infiltrators, princess," Coby grunted, shrinking back into his human form. "They were pretty easy to find. We just had to look for the soldiers not celebrating."

"Too much work too fast," Grace complained. She poked Coby in the face, dragging his attention to her. "Shade."

"What?" She didn't respond. All she did was stare at him as if wanting to convey her message via telepathy. Coby blinked. "Dear Goda. You are so lazy. What do you want?"

"Shade. Sleep."

Coby sighed before transforming again. He laid down, Grace sitting in the shade he provided. Chopper joined her, liking the reprieve from the harsh desert sun. Usopp scrambled over as well, the marines shooing him off so they could arrest Crocodile and his spies. Nami dropped next to Grace.

"Anyone know we're Luffy is?" she panted from a mix of the heat and her fading adrenaline.

"We'll find him eventually," Sanji shrugged, pulling out his last two cigarettes and passing one to Gin. "I'm betting he's with Vivi's dad right now."

"I'd say that's a safe bet," Vivi nodded, sitting next to Nami. The marines were pulling out, Tashigi continuing to glare at Zoro but prioritizing the traitorous Warlord over the pirate crew that was, apparently, friendly with the princess of the kingdom.

* * *

"I don't know who you are or what you just did," King Cobra gasped, "and right now, I don't care. Both Alabasta and the Nefertari family are in your debt." The older man was staggering along toward the center of Alubarna, leaning heavily on the teen he'd watched defeat Crocodile, Nico Robin draped over the boy's opposite shoulder. "Please, tell me. What is it you want?"

"While Nami would tell you money, all I want is food."

"Then food you will have," the king responded. "I'd say your victory deserves a feast at the Royal Palace."

"Great," Luffy smiled weakly. "Vivi promised me food before we got here."

"How do you know my daughter?"

"She didn't mention us in her letter? Huh. Well, I'm Monkey D. Luffy, the man who'll be King of the Pirates, and the captain of the ship that brought Vivi back to Alabasta."

"So your crew were the friends she mentioned?" Cobra blinked. "She failed to say you were pirates."

"Hey, Old Guy. Can I see the palace?"

"Of course."

"Great! I'd... I'd... I'm going to sleep." And just like that, Luffy passed out.

 **End of Chapter 41**

* * *

 **To all of you who were probably like "Hey! That was Haki! Does this mean that Luffy can use Armarment Haki now?", the answer is, yes and no. Yes, he just used it, but I specified that his arms were mostly in the shade of a dark, undergound room. Luffy doesn't know what he just did; he believes it was the remnants of the water and his blood, not some power he's never heard of. So no, Luffy will not be _consciously_ using Haki anytime soon.**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	42. Celebration and Departure

**I'll have you all know that, due to popular demand, I managed to add a 1,000-word bathhouse scene to this chapter in the span of 48 hours, and this chapter was already pretty long for my usual lengths. I hope you all are satisfied with it; I've never written anything like it before, so I hope it's good.**

* * *

 **Chapter 42:**

 **Celebration and Departure**

The Straw Hats "mysteriously dissappeared" within the hour after the end of the rebellion, and none of the citizens could or would tell the marines where they were. The marines knew that the pirates were in the castle, but there wasn't enough proof for them to force their way into the royal family's home. All of the members whose faces weren't known were tasked with buying supplies in town, leaving Zoro, Gin, and Coby (just in case after his stunt in Nanohana) with nothing to really do. Those three occupied their time through training, much to Chopper's dismay for the former two. Also, despite their disagreements, Amy was forced to admit that Usopp was a half-decent inventor after Nami showed off her Clima-Tact and approached him for assistance.

"You want me to do what?" the sniper asked.

"I'm asking you to install a propeller in my parasol," Amy responded. "It would help me control my flight when I'm weightless and I'll need all the help I can get." Answering her pleas with no small amount of bragging, Usopp deconstructed Amy's beloved sunbrella and installed three small rudders on the tip that were connected to a button on the handle via wires. When the button was pressed, the rudders spun up a breeze just strong enough to pull Amy through the air. The harder the button was pressed, the faster the rudders spun and the faster she could go.

Luffy slept for two and a half days. He woke up at six in the morning, his girlfriend sleeping by his bedside with his hat on her head. A smile stretched across Luffy's face at the sight until a growl came from his stomach, waking her. Nami stirred, brown eyes opening to meet with her captain's.

"Hi, Nami," Luffy smiled. The girl leaned up, hugging her boyfriend.

"Morning, Luffy. How do you feel?"

"Hungry." Nami laughed, waking several of the other crewmembers in the beds around them.

"Captain Luffy!" Coby called happily, running over from his bed a dozen feet away. Chopper followed him closely. "Captain Luffy! You're awake!"

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Amy sassed with a yawn.

"There's another captain in here?" Luffy asked, his cluelessness inciting laughter from his crew.

That day, every meal was a feast. The pirates and Vivi ate and laughed happily, Luffy stealing food from the plates of everyone sans Nami. Zoro and Sanji yelled at each other, Coby tried to talk to Grace while ignoring the glare he could feel from Amy, and Luffy told the stories of their adventures to the king.

After dinner, as the plates were being carried away from the dinner table, Igaram gave the Straw Hats some very big news. New bounties were out, and they included several familiar faces and many new numbers.

 **"Straw Hat" Luffy- 100,000,000 Beris**

 **"Pirate Hunter" Zoro- 60,000,000 Beris**

 **"Man-Demon" Gin- 30,000,000 Beris**

 **"Tri-Horn" Coby- 10,000,000 Beris**

The pictures for Luffy, Zoro, and Gin remained the same, but Coby's was brand new. Coby's wanted poster had two pictures, one of Coby and Zoro talking (with Usopp in the background looking at stuff on sale), and the other of Coby in his Hybrid Mode with Tashigi's broken Shigure at his feet. The first was from Louge Town while the second had been taken in Nanohana.

"This is awesome!" Luffy yelled. "I reached 100 million!"

"Heh," Zoro smirked, reading the words on his and Coby's posters. "They finally said that Coby's my student. Maybe having a pupal wanted at such a young age and for that much will boost my reputation."

"And I finally broke double digits," Gin added, eyeing the new number beneath his picture. "My last bounty might have been somewhat impressive for the East Blue, but now I'm worth more than my old boss ever was."

"I guess this means I can never be a marine now," Coby sighed, a forlorn look on his face. "I mean, I gave that up a while ago, but there was always that spark of hope. Still, we saved a country; why are we wanted now?"

"It's not like the Marines are going to admit that a pirate crew did their job better than they could," Usopp answered. "They'll probably say something about how we were helping Crocodile until they threw a wrench into our plan and we turned on the Warlord."

"Besides," Amy put in, "only Pinky and Luffy really earned their new bounties; Zoro and Gin had bounties before that rose because they're on Luffy's crew."

"Right now, I don't care how much you're worth, Luffy," Nami stated. "After sleeping for almost three days and then eating enough to feed an Island Whale, you need a bath."

"You're welcome to use the royal bathhouse," King Cobra offered, standing. "Shall I lead the way?" The pirates nodded and stood, following the king.

* * *

"Wow!" the male pirates gawked, their eyes dancing over the embellished interior of the royal bathhouse. The entire inside, from the walls and floor to the ceiling itself, was made of pure marble. The stones were each hand-cut and fitted together like a puzzle piece, a mural of various dessert animals with a jackal and a falcon watching over them carved into the ceiling. Along a far wall was a stylized golden dragon from who's mouth flowed a fountain of clear water that created a constant background splashing.

"It is impressive, isn't it?" King Cobra boasted. "My grandfather commissioned it 80-some years ago. Alabasta had been attacked by an enormous pirate crew that stole everything that they could get their hands on and didn't have to feed. My grandfather wanted to help the people since the royal coffers were untouched, but he knew he couldn't just give the people the money; they wouldn't want pity and the other countries would see it as weak, so he commissioned a bathhouse of the best materials at the highest prices he could find. Then he commissioned the murals from artists across Alabasta. That bathhouse is what you see before you." The king turned, wishing to see the awed faces of the male Straw Hats, but the only one looking at him was Coby, who had yet to get further into the water than mid-thigh.

"That was a nice story, Your Majesty," the boy commented. "I enjoyed it, at least." He glanced around the room, locating the others he could see. Luffy and Usopp had started a towel war upon exiting the changing room, whipping each other with the ends of their towels, but the two had since teamed up to attack Gin who was chasing them around the exterior of the water and cursing them out. Zoro was already submerged up to his chest, helping a slumped Chopper by rubbing shampoo into his fur. The doctor could have either been drowsy or dizzy from the heat or simply weak from the water, but Coby couldn't tell though all the steam. He could just make out Sanji and Igaram near the far wall of the bath. From the whispers he managed to catch, Sanji was trying to peek on the girls below and Igaram was trying to stop him.

"I really don't get the layout of the bathhouse," Coby admitted. "I can understand having two layers, but why are the girls on the lower floor?"

"Oh, that?" Cobra questioned. "My grandfather was an unrepentant pervert."

Coby sighed, wishing he had been surprised by the answer. Twin splashes of water rose on Coby's right, a blubbering Luffy and Usopp flailing as they rose for air. I seemed that Gin caught them.

"Dammit, Gin!" Usopp yelled. "We were just messing around!"

"Shut up!" the man snapped. "That hurt, you morons!"

"Shut up, you idiots!" Sanji ordered from his place beside the wall dividing the upper and lower tiers, an unconscious Igaram on the floor beside him. Unfortunately for him, this attracted the attention of the captain and sniper.

"What are you doing, Sanji?" Luffy questioned, heading towards the perverted cook with Usopp hot on his heels. Sanji's answer was too low for Coby to hear over the sound of running water.

"I think your cook has the right idea!" King Cobra quietly exclaimed, also making his way to the dividing wall. Coby sighed as Gin passed to join the throng of males as well and turned back to his teacher and the reindeer. However, before he could make his way over, Zoro glanced up and seemed to decide it would be as great a time as any to start another round of his favorite pastime: fighting with the cook.

"Oi!" he yelled, setting Chopper to the side where the reindeer started washing the soap out of his coat. "What do you think you're doing, Shit Chef?!"

"I'm doing what every true man should!" Sanji hollered back. "I'm showing my appreciation of the female form!" The cook gained a thoughtful expression. "You've never done that, though. Could it be that you're..." He trailed off, waiting for Zoro to catch on to his meaning. He wasn't disappointed as, only half a second later, the green-haired man bolted to his feet with a scowl. Coby's teacher stomped toward the smirking blond, his footsteps causing the water to splash. Coby sighed, again, and moved to help Chopper before picking up the doctor and making his way to the two arguing men in order to play mediator. All of the men were trying to lean over the wall with various forms of success, Zoro really only doing so to try to prove some sort of point to the chef. Coby's gut twisted. a sign that his Zoan instincts were trying to warn him of oncoming disaster.

"What are you all doing?" Chopper asked innocently.

"Research," Gin answered with a whisper, not turning around. Spurned on under the delusion that he was going to learn something new, Chopper jumped off of Coby's shoulder to look over the wall with the rest of the group.

"Zoro-sensei..." Coby tried, hoping the man would catch his warning. He didn't.

"Perverts!" Vivi's voice roared over the wall. Coby dove backwards without hesitation.

"HAPPINESS PUNCH!"

* * *

 **On the other side of the wall, a minute earlier**

"I still can't believe we did it," Vivi admitted, her hands rubbing soap over Nami's back. Grace and Amy were seated beside them, the older helping the younger. "I mean," she continued, "after my argument with Luffy, I didn't think that I'd be able to actually stop the armies from fighting."

"If we'd had any fewer people, I don't think we could have," Amy stated, brushing a comb through her sister's hair. "Admittedly, I might have known more about Croc's plans than most of the organization, but even I didn't think he had infiltrators in both armies."

"Too complicated," Grace yawned. "Too much thinking."

"It's over now, anyway," Nami waved off. "There's no need to worry about the 'what-if's."

"I'm doing what a man should!" Sanji's voice declared from somewhere above. "I'm showing my appreciation of the female form!"

"Please don't tell me," Amy growled.

"They wouldn't!" Vivi denied, shocked.

"They are," Grace responded with another yawn. "Shame is too much work, though."

"You're underage!" Amy yelled. "At least have _some_ shame!" The haze that seemed to hang in the air from the steam began to dissipate, revealing the shadows of almost every male perched on the dividing wall.

"Perverts!" Vivi yelled, clutching her towel close. Amy scowled and shoved Grace behind her, but noted that Coby was not among those on the wall. In fact, he was the only one _not_ there.

"Alright," Nami sighed, standing up with her towel loosely held around her form. "I'm warning you all, though. This'll cost each of you 10 million Beris each. Except for you, Luffy." She winked as the captain and opened her towel. "HAPPINESS PUNCH!"

The dividing wall exploded into red as blood gushed from the noses of all male viewers sans Chopper, but none moreso than Luffy. While most of the men simply fell off the wall, the raven-haired teen was rocketed upwards to the point where he struck the ceiling with enough force to put a Luffy-sized crater in the mural, the imprint placed in the claws of the over-watching falcon.

"Nami!" Vivi gasped.

"Kyahahaha!" Amy laughed. "Look at how far Luffy went! Kyahahaha!"

"I don't get it," Chopper blinked. "What's so interesting about the female anatomy?"

"I'll tell you when you're older," Zoro moaned from behind the wall. "Damn Sea Witch."

"I tried to warn you." Coby shook his head. "Now, how are we going to get Captain Luffy down from the ceiling?" There was a _drip-drip_ sownd from somewhere behind the men, but Coby was the only one to turn. A small circle of red was spreading directly under the imprint of the captain. "And I think we should hurry," Coby added. "Captain Luffy might bleed out at this rate."

"Damn Sea Witch," Zoro repeated.

"Damn lucky bastard," Sanji sighed angrily.

"Hey, Nami!" Amy laughed. "I think you might have killed him! Kyahahaha!"

* * *

That night, after the whole bathhouse debacle blew over, the Straw Hats gave Vivi a choice. She could stay in Alabasta and remain a princess, or she could leave with them for the pirate's life. The blunette didn't have an answer; she didn't know which life she wanted. Well, that wasn't exactly true. She knew she wanted to go with them and sail on the seas again, but could she abandon her country and her duties as a princess to do so? They agreed to meet her on the easternmost coast of Alabasta at noon the following day. There, she would have an answer for them.

The crew of ten snuck out of the town that night after a call from Bon Clay who informed him that he had commandeered the Going Merry to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Marines. With the help of the Super Sonic Duck Squadron and Eyelash, the pirates were able to make it out of Alubarna and to the Going Merry by daybreak. There, Bon Clay properly met Amy and Grace and both pirate crews set sail.

Soon, they were set upon by Black Cage Hina, a Marine Captain known for surrounding pirate ships and shooting them with long, sharpened iron rods rather than cannonballs. Bon Clay and his crew valiantly sacrificed themselves to give the Straw Hats time to escape, the flamboyant Okama declaring that "if we are to fall, let it be on the sea; the flower of friendship is singing!"

"Bon Clay!" Luffy cried as the Straw Hats sailed away. "We'll never forget you!"

Despite the damages, the Merry was able to outrun the other Marine ships that came for it. The pirates made their way to the meeting point and waited. Noon came, then 12:30, 1:00, 1:30. The clock was nearing two when six Marine ships rounded the coast.

"Warships!" Usopp called from the crow's nest. "Six of them!"

"Come on, Luffy," Sanji muttered, taking a drag on his cigarette. "It's obvious she's not coming."

"No," Luffy denied. "She'll be here. I know it."

"We can't stay, Don," Gin urged. "The Marines are here." There was a crackling sound before Vivi's voice drifted through the air.

"Hello, everyone," she greeted, her words echoing throughout the kingdom. "No doubt those of you in Alubarna are wondering why I'm not there right now, but that doesn't matter. I've been gone for several years, as you all know, and I've learned many things about the world. Sometimes those you trust are the least trustworthy, and sometimes the only ones you can trust are the ones no one else will. I made many friends during my absence, and they will always hold a place in my heart." The Straw Hats finally found the princess who was dressed in a flowing, white gown. She and Carue were standing on the coast, a transponder snail on the duck's head. Tears glistened from Vivi's cheeks, sparking in the afternoon sun.

"I wish that I could travel with them like I did before," she continued. "They're some of the craziest people you would ever meet, and they're also some of the most fun-loving, They were the reason I made it back in time. And they were the reason I never gave up. Even when I'd lost hope, they pulled through for me, and I can't thank them enough for that.

"What truly happened in Alubarna will never make it into the history books. I know that. And those that were there know that, but it doesn't matter. What I'm trying to say is: thank you. Thank you all. I want to go with you, to sail the seas like we did before. But I can't. Not yet. There's too much that I need to do here. I only ask, if we meet again, even if it's years from now, will you still call me your friend?" There was a pause, it seemed like Vivi was waiting for a response. Luffy opened his mouth to call out to her, to tell her that she'd always be their friend, but Sanji clamped a hand over his face.

"We can't say anything," Nami whispered, turning Luffy and herself away from the coast. "The Marines are too close. We can't show that we have a connection."

Pulling Sanji's hand off, Luffy reasoned, "Then how about this?" Yanking the bandages off of his left arm, the captain thrust his arm upward, revealing the X-shaped marking hidden underneath. One by one, the rest of the crew followed in his example, backs to the shore and X's out. A fresh wave of tears flowed from Vivi's eyes as she and Carue revealed their own black X's and sent them into the air above their heads. Cannonballs rained water upon the pirates as they hit the sea around the ship.

The Marines were firing at them, but the Straw Hats didn't move a muscle. They stood stock still, left hands up. Wind caught the sails and began pulling the ship away from Alabasta, the waves moving the ship ever-so-slightly as if the ship itself was dodging. Just as the ship was moving out of sight, the Alabastian princess lifted the microphone for the transponder snail to her lips.

"Thank you!"

* * *

Outrunning the Marines proved to be rather easy when Luffy decided to disregard Usopp's request of hanging on to the iron spears that had punctured the Merry during their flight from Black Cage Hina and threw them at the ships chasing them. The Warships were rendered useless in seconds, allowing the Straw Hats a clean getaway.

They sailed on for several hours before the feeling of Vivi's absence got to them. Well... most of them, anyway. Zoro, Amy, and Gin were unaffected by the depressing aura coming from their fellow crewmates.

"What is with you all?" Amy asked as the others moped along the ship's railing.

"We miss her!" Luffy, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Coby, and Grace wailed in perfect synchronization.

"If you wanted her to come along so badly," Zoro began, "then you should have just kidnapped her."

"You savage!' Copper cried.

"Monster," Nami spat.

"Moron," Sanji followed.

"Emotionless beast," Grace whined.

"Heartless demon," Coby put in.

"Three Sword Style," Luffy insulted.

"Luffy?" Usopp questioned. "'Three Sword Style' isn't an insult."

"Four Sword Style," Luffy amended.

"No, that's not how it works," Usopp explained. The 'Heartless Trio', as I will now refer to Zoro, Amy, and Gin, turned away from their sad and squabbling friends just before the door under said friends opened to allow a figure on deck.

"You better check to make sure all the holes are patched up," the woman commented. "It wouldn't do for the bathroom to flood."

"Already done," Zoro waved off before freezing. The Heartless Trio spun around, readying their weapons as the other seven members snapped out of their shock and tried to free themselves from the railing. The woman, who was dressed in a pair of simple jeans and a light green shirt that both belonged to Nami, ignored them. She walked over to a deck chair, book in hand, and sat down.

"Oh, she's gorgeous," Sanji swooned.

"Nico Robin," Coby growled in his Hybrid Mode, swords at the ready. "To what do we owe this... unexpected visit."

"To your captain," Nico Robin answered without missing a beat, opening her book.

"I never invited you," Luffy argued.

"No, you didn't," the woman nodded, eyes dancing across the pages of The Rainbow Mist, "but I'm not here by invitation. I came here because of what you did to me."

"Luffy!" Sanji roared angrily, grabbing his captain by the shirt and shaking him. "What the Hell did you do?!"

"I. Didn't. Do. Any. Thing. To. You!" Luffy denied through the shaking.

"You most certainly did," the former Ms. Allsunday replied suggestively. "I'm here to make sure you take responsibility for your actions."

"Luffy, you bastard!" While Sanji continued to shake his rubber captain, the rest of the crew stared at the woman in confusion.

"Um," Grace stuttered. "W-what did Luffy do to you?"

"He forced me to live," Nico Robin answered. Sanji's shaking stopped suddenly. The woman looked into the distance, seeing the sea, but not seeing it at the same time. She continued to speak. "Just when all I wanted was the sweet release of death, your captain would not let me have it. He dragged me out of that crumbling tomb, and now I'm here so he takes responsibility for that. I wish to join your crew."

The crew's reactions were mixed. The great majority were confused while Nami and Usopp were skeptical and Sanji very, very happy. The chef noodled into the kitchen to cook their newest member a delicious snack. Robin then proceeded to win over nearly every member of the crew, whether that was amusing them with her Devil Fruit powers (Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper), jewels (Nami), or a new hat (Grace had yet to replace the one she'd lost in Rainbase). Coby sheathed his swords and, while he didn't trust this woman yet, Luffy was the captain.

And according to their captain, the eleventh member of the Straw Hat Pirates was one Nico Robin.

 **End of Chapter 42**

* * *

 **Well, it's official, Vivi will not be joining the crew. I know this is disappointing for many of you, but this has been written out for months and do you know how much of a hassle it would be to rewrite every chapter from this point onward? And the crew was already to the point where it's hard to make sure I have every member accounted for. I like Vivi as much as the next fan, but there are already so many stories out there where she does join. Anyways...**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	43. Dead End Adventure (part 1)

**Up next is one of my favorite One Piece movies, Dead End Adventure. I'm really excited about this since I had a lot of fun righting it out. I can't wait for what you all have to say about it.**

 **And to the guest that was asking about lemons: Delta, if I was going to put in lemons, then this story would have been rated M from the start. A good rule of thumb for stories is: if the author intends for there to be lemons, then they will say so beforehand. I did not, so there will not.**

* * *

 **Chapter 43:**

 **Dead End Adventure (part 1)**

 **WARNING! SPOILERS FOR THE** ** _DEAD END ADVENTURE_** **MOVIE (Duh)**

Several weeks had passed since Robin's stowing away aboard the Going Merry and her joining of the Straw Hat Pirates and, while Luffy's word was all but law on the ship, he'd made it more than official by gifting the woman with her own baby den-den from their batch, number 11.

And, of course, as a member of the Straw Hats, she had to get her own tattoo. While at first against it, Robin eventually conceded after enduring nearly a barrel of alcohol and Luffy's pestering. The 79 million Beri woman ended up getting a skull with her purple cowboy hat and four bent arms sprouting from the cardinal points. She had it placed on her left bicep.

The woman had slowly incorporated herself into the daily workings of the Going Merry, the sight of her sitting in a chair on deck reading for hours at a time becoming commonplace. As it was, Grace and Chopper seemed to gravitate toward her, though the reindeer doctor would avidly disagree. As much as Robin's reading became the norm, so did Grace sleeping in the shade of her shadow. Amy and Zoro had been forced to grudging accept that she meant no harm, some of Grace's yellowish-green paint playing no small part.

Now, the pirates found themselves in quite the predicament. A run-in with many Marine ships had left them with several holes in the haul that would need to be fixed soon, but the fierce winds of the storm around them was giving the pirates very little time to deal with them. The Marine ships had long since disappeared into the dense fog that the storm had kicked up.

"There's a shadow in the distance!" Coby called from the crow's nest, his voice barely reaching the deck over the howling winds. "It looks like an island!"

"We'll have to dock there!" Nami yelled back. "This storm is getting too rough to handle while Merry's injured!"

"You all heard her!" Luffy shouted. "Land ho!"

* * *

Hannibal Island was a very violent place. The entire island was one big town build by pirates, for pirates, and inhabited by only pirates. The sounds of gunshots, drunken people of all feelings, fistfights, and yelling were a constant background noise for all who lived and visited there. Bars lined the streets, wanted posters scattered along nearly every wall to show who was who and who was worth what. Inside Bar Lots, the Straw Hats sat at a table, Luffy stuffing his face, but at a much slower rate than normal since Nami had asked him to slow down.

"What are we going to do?" Coby asked their navigator as Zoro, Chopper, Usopp, and Luffy argued about food. "Last I checked, we're nearly broke. Captain Luffy's meal here and the cost of supplies should render us pennyless."

"We'll need to make some quick cash," Nami responded. "I've stolen from pirates for all my live, but getting away unharmed in a place like this would be impossible."

A man sauntered into the bar. Walking up to the bartender, he placed two coins on the table before him. The man behind the counter took the money without a word and gestured for him to follow into the back room. A minute later, the bartender returned without the customer.

"I smell money," Nami muttered, her nose twitching. She stood up abruptly and made her way to the counter where the bartender was cleaning glasses. Without even glancing at her, the man grunted.

"Can I help you?"

"Well you see," Nami began, bending forward to give the man a good view of her chest. "My crew and I seem to be a bit low on money right now. We've got enough to pay for this meal, but do you know any way we could earn some quick cash?" She fluttered her eyes, hoping to entice him into giving her some information.

The man didn't even flinch.

"I can think of one way, but it's pretty dangerous and a long shot. I'd suggest you and your friends leave before you get yourselves killed." Luffy seemed to notice that Nami was at the bar and, with no meat or food left to hold him to the table, he shuffled over to stand by her side. The rest of the crew followed.

"As I think you can tell," Nami bragged, "we're a rather famous pirate crew. A little danger isn't going to scare us off. Especially not our captain here if it smells like adventure."

"Yosh!" Luffy nodded.

"...I see," the man said after several seconds. "I guess I can't deter you. Follow me." The bartender led them to the back room where he opened a secret door that led into a carved tunnel. Reaching into a dark corner, the man lit a lantern and passed it to the closest pirate, said pirate being Zoro. The light of the lantern illuminated the tunnel, but only for ten feet or so.

"Go straight," the man ordered, not reacting to the group glare that was suddenly directed at Zoro. "Show the bouncer two 100-Beri pieces. That's the password."

"Got it," Luffy nodded. "Thanks, Bar Guy."

"Hey, kid," the man called as the other pirates began to walk away. "Why'd you become a pirate?"

"To be the King of the Pirates, of course!" Luffy laughed. The man cracked a smile.

"I like guys like you. Stay alive." With that, the bartender shut the hidden door, leaving the Straw Hat Pirates in the dark.

They picked their way to the other end of the tunnel which seemed to run from one end of the island to the other. After nearly ten minutes of walking, Coby squinted into the dark and warned them that a creepy-looking man was standing in front of a door. Nami nodded and pulled out two coins, flashing them at the bouncer when they could see him. The large man nodded and opened the door, allowing them passage into the gigantic room beyond.

The room was a rough cylinder, floors and stairs gouged out of the tough rock to make multiple levels. At the bottom of the room sat two giants, one of them laughing hard at whatever the other had said. Pirate flags of all kinds were strung up along the walls, showing what seemed like every variation of skull designs, and hanging from the ceiling was a simple, unpainted boat with eight oars. Dangling from a pulley was a large chain; for what purpose, unknown. Everywhere one looked, there were pirates eating, drinking, laughing, playing cards, and fighting, although said fights usually included everyone in one large area.

"Oooh," Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, and Coby gawked.

"If you're looking for the bookmaker, he's on the top floor," a pirate drinking at one of the tables called. His face was flushed, probably from the alcohol in the mug in his hand, and he was openly eyeing the Straw Hat crew's female members.

"Why would we be looking for him?" Nami questioned.

"You mean you aren't here for the race?"

"So I was right," Robin nodded. "This is the same Hannibal."

"What do you mean, Ms. Allsun- I mean, Robin?" Amy asked, cutting herself off. She'd been trying to break the habit of calling the archeologist Ms. Allsunday for a while, but Robin had done nothing to stop herself from calling Amy and Grace Ms. Valentine and Ms. Goldenweek.

"This is the place of the anything-goes Dead End pirate race," the newest Straw Hat answered. "It's nothing regular, but every few years, they organize a boat race by pirates for pirates. The first one to get to that year's destination is the winner."

"That sounds like fun!" Luffy yelled, fully prepared to enter the race.

"No it doesn't!" Nami and Usopp yelled.

"Did I forget to mention that the prize this year is 300 million Beris?" the unnamed pirate asked. Nami's eyes lit up.

"We're entering that race!" she declared.

"I though you would," the inebriated pirate laughed. "Those two giants down there are Bobby and Pogo. They're the third favorites. Then that blue guy on the other side of the floor? That's the fishman, Willy. He was a rival of Arlong before the guy went and got himself beaten up in the East Blue of all places."

"Who's the favorite this year?" Coby asked.

"Gasparde," the man answered. "An ex-marine worth 95 million."

"Alright!" Luffy laughed before the guy could elaborate further. "I'm going exploring!" The pirate captain wandered off, Zoro, Chopper, Usopp, and Coby (with a worried look) trailing behind. Grace, Amy, Robin, Sanji, and Gin followed Nami up the stairs to register for the race.

"Oh crap," Nami whispered. "How is Luffy going to pay for the food he'll eat?"

"Don't worry, Ms. Navigator," Robin placated. "The food here is free since most of these guys will die in the race." She smiled.

"That's not something you should say casually," Grace muttered while her older sister and Gin chuckled darkly, their sadistic natures showing. The group made their way upstairs to the top floor where a fat man with a blonde on his lap was sitting behind a counter. Making the correct assumption that this man was the bookmaker, the pirates walked over.

"We'd like to enter the race," Nami stated.

"Just you six?" the man laughed. "Four broads and two guys? You, sirs, are some lucky sons of bitches." Within a second, the bookmaker had the Clima-Tact, a paintbrush, an umbrella, a leg, and two weighted tonfa pointed at him while Robin had crossed her arms. The entire floor went silent.

"None of us are the captain," Gin hissed.

"And do not ever refer to any of these women and 'broads' again," Sanji added.

"Uh, sure," the large man gulped, passing an open book to Nami. "There's the list. Just write your crew's name and your captain's name and you're in."

"Thank you," Nami responded much too sweetly, the six lowering their weapons as she scribbled into the book. They turned to walk away.

"Now wait a second!" the bookmaker called. "You have to pay to get in!"

"What was that?" Nami questioned, the weapons making a reappearance.

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" The bookmaker threw an eternal pose to Nami. The crest on it read PARTIA.

"That's what I thought." She turned back to her crewmates. "Now, who's up for tea?"

* * *

Luffy and his squad had gotten two floors down before they'd found the main cafeteria. The group had instantly claimed a table, Luffy and Zoro scaring off the pirates that had been there before. Said table was covered in dirty dishes left over from the meal that Luffy was in the middle of eating. The rubber-man's arms were flying every which way, stealing food from waiters and tables in every corner of the room.

"Damn, Luffy," Usopp grumbled. "Weren't you full just a few minutes ago?"

"That was only 60%," Straw Hat waved off.

"I swear, Luffy," Zoro stated. "You're stomach's a bottomless pit." While trying to talk through a mouth full of food, Luffy reached behind himself and stole two trays from a waiter just before a man in yellow could take them. Said man turned to see Luffy tearing through the lobster he'd wanted, so he stood, strode over, and slammed Luffy's face into the table. Usopp and Chopper jumped, Coby flinched, and Zoro didn't move a muscle.

"What the Hell was that for?" Luffy yelled angrily, pulling his face out of a head-shaped indent in the wood. He glared at the aggressor who glared back.

The man was in his early twenties with wavy brown hair down to his shoulders. His clothes consisted of black pants and a yellow jacket with SICK written on the left breast. There was the shape of a hook just under the word, a similar tattoo on the man's left cheek.

"What do you mean 'what the Hell was that for'?! Why the Hell were you stealing my food?!"

"I was hungry!" Luffy retorted. "Why'd you attack me?"

"I attacked you because you and your stretchy arms were... you and your... stretchy... arms... oh Goda! Your arms stretched!"

"Not the brightest, is he?" Usopp snickered in Chopper's ear.

"That's one of the powers of the Devil Fruits, isn't it?" a nasally voice commented. Both Luffy and his unknown assailant turned to see a group of thugs led by a thin man with shaved pink hair. He wore a purple wife-beater and had on lime green pants with a yellow sash. On his right cheek was a tattoo of a crossed-out Marine logo.

"And who are you?" Luffy questioned. His only answer came from one of the man's crewmembers who fired a pistol at Luffy. The teen doubled over, his skin stretching. Straightening out, the bullet was launched back toward the crowd, burying itself in the wall next to the rosette's head.

"That tickled! Shishishi!" Luffy laughed, much to the horror of the other pirates.

"Th-that wasn't supposed to tickle," the man with the smoking gun whimpered as another stuttered out "m-m-monster."

"Gum-Gum Pistol!" Luffy shouted, his fist shoving the heads of three pirates into the wall behind them.

"You bastard!" the man with pink hair yelled, his anger overcoming his fear. "Get them!" He pulled out a sword as his crewmembers did the same. Zoro and Coby stood to fight, Usopp and Chopper getting up to hide behind them.

The thugs charged at Luffy and the man in yellow, the captain jumping into the fray while the man waited for his opponents to come to him. Several of the pirates skirted around them to attack Zoro and Coby, but the two swordsmen held their ground without Coby transforming due to the low ceiling.

The man in yellow maneuvered himself over to the chain where he tied up a larger pirate, took his sword, and kicked him over the side. Letting the pirate's weight do the work, the man in yellow hopped onto the other end of the chain going up. A plethora of pirates followed, intent on claiming revenge on the man for really no reason. Luffy grabbed on last, not wanting to be left out.

The group rose through the room, the brawl attracting the attention of every pirate present.

"Luffy?" Nami questioned as he slowly rose past her and her entourage. "What are you doing?"

"Don't worry," Luffy waved off with a laugh. "It's just a fight."

"Alright," Nami smiled. "Have fun."

"I am!" The yellow-clad male reached the hanging ship and climbed onboard, the rest of his pursuers and Luffy following.

"Nowhere to run now, is there?" the pink-haired thug taunted. Luffy felt content to sit and watch for once, so he leaned back, accidentally bumping one of the oars. He panicked and punched the wood causing the paddle to spin around and knock every enemy pirate off the boat sans the leader who was cowering.

Unfortunately, the sudden shift in weight was too much for the old ropes holding the vessel in the air, three of them snapping on the left side. As the boat tilted, Yellow Coat Guy jumped off while Luffy grabbed their falling, flailing enemy and used his powers to land on the same balcony as his unofficial ally, dropping the terrified pirate on the floor.

"Who are you?" a rough, deep voice rumbled. The thug seemed to recognize the voice as he tensed. The pink-haired man rolled into a sitting position and shuffled a couple feet back.

"G-G-General Gasparde!" he stuttered. "W-what are you do-doing here? I-I thought you w-were eating on the ship."

"Do I need your permission?" Gasparde growled. The General had a sneer plastered on his square face. Dirty blond hair fell to the man's broad shoulders, brushing against an old Marine Captain's coat, the kanji for "justice" crossed out, which was draped over his shoulders like a cape. Gasparde wore no shirt, the only clothes covering his upper body being the sides of his open coat and a purple ascot he wore around his neck. Finally, his black pants were held in place on the top by a gold chain belt and from the bottom by black leather boots. Next to him stood his First Mate. "Answer me! Do I need your permission?"

"N-no, General!"

"Good. Now, who the Hell are you?"

"Me?" the thug questioned. "Y-you know me, General. I've been on your crew for years!"

"I most certainly do not know you," Gasparde denied. "I wouldn't know someone weak enough to lose a bar fight to some snot-nosed rookie."

"B-b-but General-" the man was cut off when Gasparde's guard rushed forward in a blur of speed, kicking the unfortunate pirate over the side and into the lake below. He'd survive. Most likely.

The First Mate was a muscular, albino man with a bald head. Tattoos danced across his ripped arms and his face was covered in ink depicting the crossed-out Marine logo. His clothes were a simple dark blue sleeveless shirt and green pants.

"Now that that's dealt with," Gasparde continued, "who the Hell are you two?"

"I'm just some no-name bounty hunter," the man in yellow waved off as he placed a black top hat on his head. "Please, call me Shuraiya. Shuraiya Bascúd." As soon as the name passed from his lips, muttering broke out among the crowd.

"Shuraiya Bascúd? The famous 'Pirate Executioner'?"

"What is he doing here?"

"They say he's killed so many that his soul is stained red."

"And who are you, kid?" the General asked, his cold, beady eyes turning to the teen wearing a straw hat.

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy! I'm the man who'll be King of the Pirates!" At his declaration, Gasparde, as well as most of the pirate crowd, laughed.

"Oh man," Gasparde chuckled, coming down from his laughing fit. "Goda, I needed that. Kid, your dreams are about as obtainable as catching a speck of dust with a pair of chopsticks, but what do you two say you come work for me? I like strong kids like you. Only the strong survive, after all."

Shuraiya turned to Luffy, one eyebrow raised. "What do you think, Straw Hat?"

"I don't like him," Luffy stated. "He smells like trash." Immediately, Gasparde's First Mate was behind the young captain, one arm holding Luffy's arms against his side and the other pressing three hook-blades against his throat. The force of the impact knocked Luffy's hat off.

"Needles," Gasparde drawled. "Let him go. If wants to kill himself, let him. It might be entertaining." The albino, Needles, released Luffy and began to walk back to his captain.

"Stop!" the teen ordered, surprise freezing the pale man, his foot inches from Luffy's fallen hat. "Don't you dare touch that hat!" Luffy scooped up the apparel and dusted it off before placing it back on his head.

"My, you're quite protective of that hat, aren't you? What's so special about it?"

"Shanks gave it to me. I'm gonna give it back once I become the Pirate King."

"Whatever you say. You, Shurega or whatever. If you make the smart choice and join me, come to my ship tomorrow before the race. Come on, Needles. We're leaving." With a flourish, Gasparde and his First Mate made their exit.

"What a bastard," Luffy commented.

* * *

The sun rose over the pirate island of Hannibal, illuminating hundreds of ships in the various docks of the island. Activity was ripe on the Going Merry, every one of its crew awake and alert. The men bustled about, preparing the ship for departure. The navigator of the watercraft stared up at the various rivers that flowed from the top of the mountain in the center of the island.

"Are you sure we're pointing the right way, Robin?" Nami asked, glancing down at the eternal pose they were to follow. Its needle was steady, pointing directly at the mountain.

"Yes, Ms. Navigator," the newest member answered. "There will be a strong wind that will push every ship up the mountain before reaching the Grand Fall and the official start of the race."

"That would work in theory..." Nami trailed off. She felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist and saw Luffy rest his chin on her shoulder. Ever since Usopp had been forced to give their captain The Talk while they were stuck in that cage under Raindinners, the older members of the crew had been giving him tips and hints on how to be romantic. Not that any of them had ever been in any serious relationships, Usopp's long-distance one notwithstanding, but it seemed to be working.

The captain had also become fiercely protective of the navigator, especially from the cook, but that was irrelevant at that moment.

"Don't worry about it," Luffy smiled. "We'll work it all out and win that prize money. Okay?"

"I don't know how you do it," Nami sighed, "but you always know what to say to ease my nerves."

"All he has to do is mention getting her money," Zoro muttered to Usopp who snickered. Nami tensed suddenly, feeling the drop in air pressure.

"It's here!" She yelled, untangling herself from her boyfriend. "Last checks! Is everything tied down? Any second-" A blast of wind hit their ship, the force stretching the sails and threatening to tear them. The Going Merry pitched forward, nearly throwing Gin off had Zoro not caught him. The smaller ship sailed forward, through a tunnel, whether natural or man-made was unknown, and came out into a city filled with cheering pirates. The Straw Hats stared in amazement, the words, whether harsh or helpful, washed over them. Several rivers over, a giant ship with two masts and steam coming out of a smokestack in the back chugged along, its crossed-out Marine sails indicating whose ship it was.

"The Salamander," Robin said, just loud enough for the others to hear. "That's Gasparde's ship."

"I've never seen one that ran on steam," Nami awed.

"It doesn't matter what his ship looks like," Luffy muttered darkly. "I hate him and I'm gonna kick his ass." The conversation ground to a halt at Luffy's declaration, and not a moment too soon. A large, square ship with two decorative skulls pulled up alongside them, their river merging with another.

"Look at this, ya bastards!" the captain of the square vessel laughed. Coby identified him as "Cut-throat" Viargo, a pirate known for hunting Marine ships rather than them hunting him. "This tiny ship thinks it can compete with us!"

Both crews jumped, however, when another ship pulled up, this one with a ship-sized drill on the front to pulverize the competition... literally. This was the ship of the fishman, Willy. Then the two giants, Bobby and Pogo, pulled up alongside Willy, the two in a jumbo-sized ship with one sail. The rivers ran together, ships of all shapes, sizes, and models coming to sail next to each other up the side of a mountain.

And then they reached the apex, ships quite literally dropping off the side.

The Going Merry had fallen behind, it's smaller haul not gaining as much force from the current as the other heavier and larger vessels. They went over the side with one slightly-larger ship on either side. Gravity seemed to lose all power as the crew started to float. And then they fell.

Luffy laughed, wrapping one stretchy arm around a screaming Nami's waste and the other around the ship's railing. Zoro and Gin gripped the mast to keep their footing while limbs sprouted from the deck to hold Robin's, Sanji's, Coby's, Grace's, Usopp's, and Chopper's ankles. Amy screamed as well, instinctively increasing her mass to stay on the ship.

The Merry hit the water with a splash. The ship to their left crashed into the ground, missing the water completely and possibly killing most of its crew. The ship on the left landed halfway, cracking like an egg. The half in the water was swept away, screaming pirates getting no help from the cheering citizens of the town. The Straw Hats did not land gracefully, however. Most of the crew was only sent sprawling, but Amy's increased weight, when combined with the g-force from the water's buoyancy, made her too much for the floorboards underneath her. They shattered under her weight, causing the blonde to fall into the men's quarters under the deck with a curse.

"Amy-chwan!" Sanji yelled out in worry.

"I'm fine!" Amy called up through the hole. "Long-Nose's hammock broke, though!"

"Are you sure it was mine?" Usopp called down.

"The pillow fell over and a picture of a blonde woman fell out!" Amy called back. All eyes turned to the sniper.

"...What?"

"Nothing," everyone on deck chorused. Suddenly, a cannonball hit the water to their starboard side, the danger of their situation coming to them as the crew scattered. Usopp sprinted to the deck cannon at the back of the ship where another vessel about twice the Merry's size was sneaking up on them, the captain shouting insults about the crew and their families.

Feeling his anger rise as the pirate insulted his mother, the sniper aimed the cannon and yelled "Special Attack: Cannonball Star!" The projectile buried itself in the front of the other ship before exploding, the hole taking in water and letting the current tear the ship and her crew to shreds. Usopp blinked. "Ha! Now you know the true power of Captain Usopp!"

Up ahead, the rest of the crew, minus Sanji and Zoro who were beating away projectiles of all kinds from all directions, watched with worry as several ships attempted to make a turn only to crash into the side. The giants, Bobby and Pogo, tried to use a wrecked ship to jump over the city and land in the sea, but their flight only took them halfway before they plowed into the middle of the town.

"We're gonna crash!" Nami cried out in fear.

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Luffy yelled, jumping off the front of the Merry just before they hit a capsized ship on the coast. "Gum-Gum Balloon!" He inflated, becoming a bumper between the two ships. The force caused him to spin, the Merry taking flight and Luffy having to stretch to get back onboard. Amongst the screaming, a calm Robin called "Mil Fleur! Giganto Mano!" causing a giant arm made of a million smaller arms to sprout from the side of the Merry, grab the buildings on the waterfront, and pull them back to the river.

They'd reached the ocean and over half of the competition was either dead or out of the race.

 **End of Chapter 43**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	44. Dead End Adventure (part 2)

**Goodbye Spring Break, hello Darkness, my old friend! For those of you confused by that statement, I am now back at college and I slightly hate my life. On the bright side, I broke through the Writer's Block I had with some help and got almost two chapters for this story written over the break along with several other things that my brain wouldn't shut up about. Don't know what I'll do with those... Maybe I'll play around with those until they're done or mostly done and then post them, but they're on the backburner compared to this story.**

 **And if the end of this chapter seems lazy or rushed, I'm sorry. I watched the end of this movie several times, but I just couldn't find a way to put the flashbacks and revelations into words. If you haven't seen this movie, more SPOILERS AHEAD! I suggest you go watch the movie to get the full effect.**

* * *

 **Chapter 44:**

 **Dead End Adventure (part 2)**

About half an hour had passed since the start of the Dead End Race and the crew was still making sure everything was in order.

"Oi!" Nami called. "Zoro! Go check the haul for structural damage!"

"Coby," Zoro yawned from his resting place. "Go check the haul for structural damage."

"Yes, Zoro-sensei." The rosette worked his way through the inside of the ship, checking the important rooms like the kitchen and the storage room first before working his way down to the simple areas like the brig and the bathrooms. Pushing open the last door, the pre-teen was greeted with the sight of one tub, a sink, a commode, and a mirror. A sense went off in his head, like bells ringing in the back of his mind. Changing into his Hybrid Mode, Coby crept toward the tub.

Just as Coby's eyesight passed over the lip of the bathing area, a kid of around seven or eight years with blue-and-grey overalls and brown hair poking out under a white hat sprung up, leveled their gun with their eyes closed, and fired before they could really see who or what they were firing at.

The bullet bounced off of Coby's tough crown and clattered to the floor. The child's big brown eyes opened, taking in the image of the dented bullet on the floor before rising to Coby's sandaled, scaly feet, his legs, his stretched shirt, his green-grey hands resting on the hilt of his swords, before finally seeing the rosette's face and the lightly-smoking dent on his elongated forehead. Without further pause, the child passed out.

The child woke again, this time his vision greeting him with a view of Chopper grinding herbs, muttering medical knowledge to himself. Chopper continued to grind medicines before glancing over at his patient. Seeing their eyes open, he spoke.

"Oh, good. You're awake." He twisted to call out the open door. "Everyone! The kid's awake!" He turned back to the child. "What's your name? How do you feel?" The child blinked twice before shooting out of the bed and cowering in the corner.

"It talked! The racoon-dog talked!"

"I'm a reindeer, you jerk!"

"That's ever weirder!" The other pirates shuffled into the room, but their temporary captive did not see the monster from earlier. The boy searched his clothing, looking for his weapon, but the gun was nowhere to be found.

"Looking for this?" Nami asked, pulling out the flintlock pistol they'd taken from the kid's unconscious body and setting it on the table.

"W-w-where am I?"

"You're on the Going Merry," Usopp answered. "The ship of the Straw Hat Pirates."

The kid's gaze hardened. "So you're pirates," he muttered darkly before sitting down. "Go ahead then. Kill me. That's what you pirates do, isn't it?"

"If we wanted to kill you, we would have already," Coby pointed out.

"Now," Gin announced, him and Amy moving forward with matching smirks, "why are you here, little boy?"

"I-I-I..."

"Back off, you two," Chopper admonished, placing himself between the sadists and the child. "This kid is my patient right now and I won't have you two scaring them to death! And, Dear Goda, Gin. That was creepy."

"Well, why _are_ you here, kid?" Coby questioned.

"I... I'm... I'm here to take your captain's head! That way Gasparde will let me buy medicine for Grandpa!"

"Really?" Nami wondered. She threw the gun to the kid who barely caught it. "Let's see that determination. Shoot him."

Raising the shaking pistol, the boy pointed it at Luffy. The jolly roger had a straw hat, so that must mean the captain did, too. Steeling his nerves, the kid pulled the trigger.

What happened next was rather nostalgic of Hannibal. The bullet hit Luffy, he stretched, and the bullet was sent back. The bullet made a hole right next to the child's head. The kid passed out.

Again.

* * *

Over the next week, the pirates had learned that the kid's name was Anaguma and that he worked with his grandfatherly figure who was a captive boiler master on Gasparde's ship. He'd made a deal with the ex-marine to kill a pirate and, if he did so, Gasparde would use the bounty to buy medicine for the old man, Bieria.

He also admitted that he'd only boarded the Merry and targeted them because it was the smallest ship, so they should have been the weakest crew. Usopp was very insulted by that reasoning and Anaguma was very repentant after seeing Luffy's up-to-date wanted poster. 100 million and 30 million were very different amounts.

"Oi!" Coby called from the crow's nest. "Ship incoming! It's that one from the start of the race! It's Viargo!"

"Who?!" Luffy yelled back.

"Don't worry about it," Zoro waved off. "Curly Brow and I can handle it." The two members of the Monster Trio made their way to the end of the ship and waited for the other vessel to approach.

"Look, boys!" Viargo called to his crew when he was sure the Straw Hats were within hearing range. "The baby ship made it out of Hannibal!" While the pirate's back was turned, Sanji and Zoro leapt up to stand on either decorative skull on the front of their boat.

"We don't have a lot of time to play with you clowns," Zoro announced, tying his bandana around his head.

"For once, the Moss-Head's right," Sanji followed, lighting a new cigarette. "I've got a lunch to cook."

"One minute should be good enough," they both said in unison. The two jumped down and began tearing through the other pirate crew.

"They're so strong," Anaguma gaped. Things took an unexpected twist, however, when the water under Viargo's square ship bulged up before breaking to show a sea king, other sea kings of all different shapes rising out of the surrounding area. The beast with the square boat on its nose eyed the vessel like it was a tasty treat while Luffy's hands shot forward to grab the collars of Zoro and Sanji. Just as the two were pulled back to the Merry, the sea king opened its mouth and swallowed Viargo and his crew in one bite. Its snack eaten, the beast dove back into the sea, the wave it made propelling the Going Merry forward in a burst of speed.

* * *

"This... this is Partia?" Chopper asked in horror. The scene before the Straw Hats was a gruesome one indeed. Broken and sinking pirate ships filled the narrow channel going inland, the water they floated in stained red with the blood of hundreds. On land, just visible over the ridge, was a Marine stronghold with cannons firing as fast as they could to destroy the remaining pirate ships in their waters.

"No," Nami gaped in denial. "This can't be the end."

"Are you sure you followed the eternal pose right?" Zoro questioned, staring at the bloodbath with suppressed disgust. Even Amy, with her sadistic nature, was ready to lose her lunch.

"I'm certain," the navigator responded, checking the eternal pose they'd gotten from the bookmaker. The needle was pointing directly at the island in front of them. Gin snatched the pose from her hand before jamming a pocket knife under the label. Prying it off, the Man-Demon revealed the word Navarone underneath.

"This eternal pose was fake," he growled in disgust. This entire situation reminded Gin of his time on Kreig's crew, digging up bad memories of him doing unspeakable acts in the name of a terrible man. Fake log poses would have been right up Kreig's alley. With an angry scowl, he chucked the eternal pose over the side of the ship.

"What now?" Coby asked, eyeing the Marine base warily.

"We'll use Usopp's nose to sniff out Gasparde," Luffy answered as if it was obvious.

"Moron," Nami sighed, palming her face.

"Set sail!" Luffy cried out, not hearing her. "Track down Gasparde and follow his scent so I can kick his ass!"

His order came not a moment too soon as a cannonball smashed into the ocean off the port bow.

* * *

The form of the Salamander slowly came into view after 36 hours of constant sailing under the careful guidance of Chopper's nose. Clouds hung in the sky, casting a dreary feeling over the atmosphere. The large steamboat was sailing along in a lazy circle, one of its paddle wheels clogged. The center mast was missing and several rooms over the deck were nothing but kindling.

"I'm going on ahead," Luffy announced, rolling his shoulder in preparation.

"Hold on, Captain Luffy," Coby jumped in. "Take me with you."

"Coby..."

"You know how much I hate corrupt marines. Let me help. At least a little bit."

"...Okay," Luffy nodded after several seconds. "Grab on. Gum-Gum Rocket!" The younger Devil Fruit user wrapped his arms around his captain's torso just in time for the ride as the rubber-man's arms retracted.

Gasparde's crew scattered in fear as two beings crashed through the railing of the Salamander, at least a dozen not moving fast enough and getting thrown over the other side from the force. Luffy and Coby stood on the deck, the boy worst-for-wear but otherwise in fighting shape.

Straw Hat's eyes narrowed on the image before him: Gasparde standing triumphant over an unmoving Shuraiya. Needles, Gasparde's First Mate, was nowhere to be seen and most of his crew was not present.

"Oi, Coby," Luffy said, ignoring the swords and guns pointed at them. "You handle these guys. Gasparde's mine."

"Yes, Captain Luffy," Coby answered, terrifying the other pirates by shifting into his Hybrid Mode. Luffy calmly stepped through the fear-stricken men, gaze locked on the ex-marine.

Gasparde smiled a sick grin. It was the smile of a bored madman who thinks they've just been given some entertainment.

"Monkey D. Luffy." The name dripped off his tongue. "You sure are persistent. I'm not sure how much fun a man worth only 30 million can give me, but let's find out, shall we?"

Luffy chose not to correct him. There were more important matters than numbers at the moment.

"What the Hell was that for?" the younger man questioned.

"What? Oh, the fake eternal poses? That was all just a game to relieve me of my boredom."

"So you killed all those people?" Luffy demanded, anger glinting in his eyes. "You ended their lives and denied them a chance at their dreams for fun?"

"Dreams?" Gasparde sneered. "Who gives a shit about dreams? We're pirates. We crush those who are weaker than us and those who will not follow. That's who we are. Since you and your pathetic rabble of a crew won't follow me, you all and your stupid dreams will die, too."

"Gum-Gum Pistol!" Luffy yelled, his arm shooting forward. It struck Gasparde in the center of his stomach, sinking into his body as he turned into a sticky green substance. "What the-? My arm's stuck!"

"That's the power of the Candy-Candy Fruit." Luffy launched his other arm forward, it meeting the same fate as its twin. "How stupid are yo-"

"Gum-Gum Missle!" The younger captain launched forward, splashing through the Candy-man's upper body before latching onto the secondary mast. Gasparde's laugh echoed as green, liquid candy swirled up to reform him.

"I actually felt that," he growled.

"You'll be feeling a lot more by the time I'm done!"

Back with Coby, the half dinosaur was putting his training to good use, weaving his larger form through his opponents while fighting back with his dual swords and trusting his thick scales to stop the bullets coming at him. The hybrid twisted around, bashing a pirate in the side of the head after he tried to sneak up on the boy from behind. The man crumpled and Coby kicked his limp form away to knock over several others.

Out of the original 39 crewmembers that were on deck when he and Luffy had arrived, 14 had been blown overboard and 13 remained standing when the Going Marry pulled up alongside the Salamander; the rest were unconscious. Zoro, Sanji, and Gin pulled themselves up the side of the larger ship while Amy floated up to keep an eye on the fights.

Seeing his favorite, and only, student outnumbered, Zoro jumped into the fight quickly. Sanji and Gin followed so as to not be left out.

"Coby," Zoro called out. "Go find the old man! We'll handle the rest of these guys!"

"Yes, Zoro-sensei!" the rosette replied. Sheathing his swords, Coby went into full Dino Mode to barrel through the pirates before shrinking next to the stairs. The noise of sword on sword and force on flesh sounded behind him as Coby dove into the exposed stairwell. The enclosed space of the ship was many degrees hotter than the outside, making Coby uncomfortable. Recalling Anaguma's stories about the interior of the Salamander, the Devil Fruit user made his way through the ship, boards creaking and groaning above him from the captains' fight. Three men in bandages, one of whom Coby recognized as the other rosette from the hidden hang-out, ran past in a panic. The Straw Hat pirate went the way they'd come from.

The heat was stifling when Coby finally found the old man. Bieria was a balding, white-haired elder with a bushy moustache. Overalls like the ones Anaguma wore covered his body and he was staring into a roaring fire.

"Didn't I tell you fools to get out before the boiler blew?" he asked without turning around.

"They did," Coby answered, his voice causing the man to spin around. "You should, too, Mr. Bieria."

"Who're you?"

"Anaguma sent us. We're here to rescue you. Come on."

"I can't leave. Not yet." The man cast a long look at the boiler, so he didn't see the effect the heat was having on the younger male. Being partially cold-blooded, Coby was beginning to overheat and that was not good for his attitude. He couldn't take much more of being around such a large fire. He leapt forward.

"What are you-?" Bieria didn't finish his sentence. Coby's hand hit him on a nerve point Robin had shown him just below the neck, knocking the man unconscious.

"Sorry, Mr. Bieria," the Devil Fruit user apologized, switching into his Hybrid Mode for the extra strength and height to carry the man in a fireman's carry. Coby started making his exit, passing Sanji on his way out. The cook was leaving a double-doored room with four bags of food.

"Oh, Coby," Sanji called. "Could you take these with you?" The hybrid nodded before lifting the bags with his free hand. The chef went back into the what Coby assumed was the kitchen and returned with two bags of flour. The two took off.

* * *

"YOU BASTARD!" Luffy roared, holding his torn hat, rain falling in a torrential downpour around them. Shortly into the fight, Luffy had dropped his prized possession and Gasparde, who had turned his left hand into a green spear, had stabbed it. "Zoro! Hold my hat!" The Straw Hat Pirates' captain threw his repairable accessory behind him where the swordsman caught it from his spot among his unconscious enemies. Luffy and Gasparde rushed each other just as Sanji and Coby came up from inside the ship, Gin and Amy emerged from another area laden with bags, and Nami appeared with a sack filed with the last bits of Gasparde's money, the rest she'd already taken and dropped to the Merry's deck.

"What's going on?" Sanji asked, he and the others joining Zoro.

"Don Luffy doesn't seem to be having much luck," Gin observed. "Gasparde keeps turning into goop so Don Luffy gets stuck. They're in a stalemate."

"Then I guess it's a good thing I found these," Sanji commented, holding out the bags of flour. "The bastard's made of candy syrup, right? Flour should harden it."

Amy nodded, confirming Sanji reasoning with her own knowledge of sweets, and took one bag. She had Gin throw her into the air. The blonde floated over where Gasparde stood, taunting Luffy. She increased her weight before dropping the flour.

"-and there's nothing you can do to stop me," Gasparde finished just before the bag fell, exploding into a cloud of white powder that stuck to the ex-marine like a second, unwanted skin. "What the Hell?!"

"Luffy!" Sanji called. The rubber-man turned as the chef lobbed the second bag of flour, covering his captain. Luffy didn't know what was happening with the powder, but he trusted his crew enough to not question it.

Turning back, Luffy went back into action with a cry of "Gum-Gum Whip!", his leg stretching out. Unlike the last time Luffy had tried that trick, his leg flung Gasparde away like it would any other human. The other captain grabbed the railing, keeping himself from falling into the ocean.

"Thanks to this powder, I can touch you now," Luffy observed. "That means it's time to kick your ass!" His fist shot forward, but Gasparde dove to his right, leaving only the railing to take the attack. The ex-marine's arm twisted into a flour-covered spear that stretched toward Luffy. The younger pirate responded by jumping up and kicking the spear into the deck. The teen then ran along the candy weapon before punching its creator in the face.

Gasparde was unable to act in time and was sent into the remaining mast which teetered and fell. Luffy wrapped his arms around the large, wooden construct and, with a cry of "Gum-Gum Flower Arrangement!", slammed it through Gasparde's stomach.

The ex-marine coughed a mixture of blood and candy syrup, his eyes screwed shut in pain. The mast had picked up much of the flour that was on Gasparde's torso and forced it into his body, allowing the improvised weapon to do real damage.

"You..." he gasped. "You pathetic scum." The candy-man pulled the mast out of his body, the hole closing much slower than any before, blood leaking out where the impact had forced flour into his bloodstream. His body back in one piece, Gasparde altered his shape, covering himself in spikes. He rushed Luffy. "Damn you!"

The teen didn't back down. While he knew it was Gasparde attacking, he couldn't help that his mind layered an image of Don Kreig doing the same over the form of the candy-man. His hatred of both men and their terrible natures mixed. Just as Gasparde was about to unleash his attack and leave the younger captain as nothing but a red stain on the deck, Luffy struck. His leg snapped up, catching the older man on the chin, halting his momentum and lifting him straight up.

"Gum-Gum Bazooka!" Luffy yelled, his hands shooting forward. He ignored the holes Gasparde's spike armor left in his hands and put all the force he could into his final attack. Gasparde went flying into the distance where a cyclone sucked him up. The fight over, Luffy dropped to the deck, too weak to stand.

"Come on, Luffy," a sweet voice insisted, someone throwing his arm over their shoulder. Somehow finding the energy to do so, Luffy turned his eyes to catch a glimpse of Nami's orange hair. He passed out with a smile and the knowledge that he was in good hands.

Nami pulled the unconscious Luffy over to where the Going Merry was hooked to the Salamander and tossed him down to Coby. Bags full of the loot they'd stolen from Gasparde's ship were littered about the deck including food, money (about 150 million Beris), swords and armor they could sell, and an eternal pose to Partia. Gin and Zoro followed the navigator down the ladder and Sanji took the rear with Shuraiya draped over his shoulder. Amy floated down to the Merry's deck and they began sailing away. Five minutes later, the steamship blew up.

Gasparde's crew was no more.

* * *

After Chopper had treated all the injuries, Nami had sewn Luffy's hat back together, all the introductions had been made, and Anaguma had been revealed to actually be both a girl and Shuraiya's long-lost sister (boy, was that a story that words don't do justice), the Straw Hats cut Shuraiya, Anaguma, and Bieria free in a small lifeboat. It would do them no good if the Marines found a connection between them and the pirates.

The Navy had Partia surrounded when they arrived, but that didn't deter Luffy at all. Nami wanted that prize money they'd won and he was going to make sure she got it. Ignoring the marines' orders to surrender and turn themselves in, the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates ordered everyone to prepare for battle.

Next stop: Partia and the 300 million Beri prize.

* * *

Gasparde wasn't awake when he died.

The cyclone that had caught him lasted for nearly two hours before it lost too much energy to carry him anymore. The winds flung him away in the direction of a nearby island with a crescent-moon shape. He bounced over the water four times and sunk in the shallows of the bay. There, unconscious and unable to move, he drowned.

Nearby, the owner of a local apple orchard had stayed up late to listen to the rain the storm had brought and finish a good book. He'd heard the commotion and seen something fall in the water. Knowing that there was nothing he could do while the rain pelted down with near-hail-strength force and that whatever it was was outside his authority, he called the Marines.

A Navy vessel arrived the next morning to retrieve the body. While many of the men did that, others were ordered to comb the orchard. A youth with shoulder-length blond hair and a prominent double chin was one of those marines. While searching, he saw one of his comrades had found what they were searching for: a dark blue fruit with a spiral pattern, a glossy sheen, and a protrusion like a tied-off wrapper. The youth, fueled by a drive for revenge and his father's teachings, snuck up behind the other marine and knocked him unconscious with the butt of his rifle. As the man slumped from the unforeseen attack, the youth stole the Devil Fruit and ate it. He smiled as he felt his body change.

"Power is everything," the youth incanted with a maniacal gleam in his blue eyes. "Might makes right and the powerful can do no wrong. You ruined my life, but now, with this power, I'm coming for you to ruin yours.

"Beware, Straw Hat."

 **End of Chapter 44**

* * *

 **And now we start to see a direct butterfly effect that Coby's presence is having, or the lack thereof. I'm sure it's not too hard to tell who that mysterious marine is at the end, but he won't be back for a long time. He _will_ be back, though. All in due time...**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	45. The Rainbow Mist

**Chapter 45:**

 **The Rainbow Mist**

One month had passed since the events of the Dead End Race. Nami was still rolling in money, one of the foremost reasons being Nami's constant haggling whenever she went shopping and the sale of both the ivory they'd gotten from Little Garden and all the extra they'd taken from Gasparde. The Straw Hats had been able to live like kings, buying only the best ingredients and whatever they wanted from the islands they visited. The combination of the best food one could ask for, hard physical labor, and age actually caused Coby to begin a growth spurt, the boy coming up to his captain's shoulders by the end of the month. Grace had grown, too, but she only reached Coby's chin, making her just over half of Luffy's height.

Now, though, a run-in with the Navy had changed their course (again), leaving the pirates with nowhere to go but the island of Luluka, a small bit of land whose only interesting features were a small town and a tower that was under construction on the far end of the island. Finding a harbor, the Straw Hats sailed the Going Merry to a free area blocked from view by a larger merchant ship and disembarked. Zoro stayed on the ship, napping, while Amy dragged Grace off the ship to spend some "sister time" with her.

"Halt!" a man in purple spandex ordered as they stepped onto the dock. "If you're going to dock your ship here, you'll have to pay a Docking Tax."

"What?" Nami instinctively questioned. "How much and on whose orders?"

"200 Beris and on orders of Mayor Whetton," the man answered.

"Well I guess that's not so bad," Nami huffed, reaching into the orange purse she'd bought on the last island. While she kept the Clima-Tact on her person, Nami had taken to keeping several hundred Beris, measuring equipment, and her old wooden bo in her purse. However, she only kept her purse on her when all she planned on doing was shopping, usually dragging Luffy along with her so he couldn't cause a ruckus. The rest of their money, around 400,000,000 Beris, was hidden throughout the ship by Nami in case the Merry was boarded. Pulling out the requested money, she reluctantly handed it over to the patrolman who wished them a pleasant stay. The native glanced at their ship, his eyes widening as his vision passed over the sails. He hurried away.

"I'm going shopping," Nami announced as the man left. "Anyone what to join me?"

"Oh Nami, my sweet!" Sanji swooned. "I'd walk through Hell if it meant I could watch you shop!"

"Sanji," Luffy warned.

"Don't worry, Don Luffy," Gin insisted. "I'll go with him to make sure he stays out of trouble."

"We'll go, too," Amy announced, dragging Grace along by the collar of her shirt. The younger girl's eyes passed from one crewmember to another before coming to rest on Coby.

"Help me," Grace mouthed. The boy could only shrug in response. Amy scared the crap out of him.

"Good," Luffy nodded. "Anyone else?"

"I will," Chopper raised his hoof. "I need some medical supplies anyway." The reindeer being the last one, Nami, Sanji, Gin, Amy, and Chopper walked off toward the city's market while Grace was literally dragged along. Luffy, Robin, Usopp, and Coby were about to go exploring until an unknown voice called out above them.

"Hey! New people! Do you know anything about the Rainbow Mist?" The person standing on the cliff over the pirates was an older man with brown hair and a moustache like Bieria's. His Hawaiian-style clothing was partially hidden by an open lab coat and a bulky machine of some kind was strapped on his back, the size of the machine pronouncing the short stature of the man carrying it.

"We're afraid not," Robin called back. "Would you care to enlighten us?"

"Humf," the man grunted. "Follow me. I know a restaurant where we can talk." The scientist, or that's what the pirates assumed he was, led them to a small building just within the town boundaries. The man studied the four as the group placed their orders and the proprietor brought their food.

"I hope you have money to pay for this," the owner scowled, placing a plate of pasta in front of the scientist.

"My friend here is paying," he replied, gesturing to Usopp who sputtered in denial. "So," he began, ignoring the slurping coming from Luffy, "my name is Henzo, the genius inventor of Luluka."

"Nice to meet you," Luffy muttered through his spaghetti.

"You said something about a Rainbow Mist?" Coby prompted.

"Yes. The Rainbow Mist is an anomaly that appears around this island without any set pattern. Anything that goes into the Mist and doesn't come out before the Mist disappears vanishes without a trace, but the Legends say that the inside of the Rainbow Mist holds the Golden City of El Dorado."

"I've heard of it," Robin coincided. "Is the center of the anomaly not called the Land of the Gods?"

"That's only a myth," Henzo waved off. "The center of the Rainbow Mist was named Ape's Concert when it first appeared."

"But why are you studying it?" Coby asked. "There are a lot of unexplainable phenomena here in the Grand Line."

"I'm studying it because I lost my friends to it 50 years ago." Henzo started tearing up, recounting the tale of how his friend, the Pumpkin Pirates as they called themselves, tried to fight off a band of actual pirates when they appeared, only to end up stealing the pirates' ship and sail into the Rainbow Mist with the first mate and subsequently vanish, leaving him behind.

"Be careful," the owner of the restaurant warned as he took most of their plates and left another portion for Luffy. "Take everything this guy tells you with a grain of salt. He's nothing but a dog on Mayor Whetton's leash."

Before anyone could question the man's accusation, a drum roll sounded outside of the building.

"Hurry!" one of the patrons exclaimed. "The Tax Collectors are here!" Every native in the bar began furiously eating and drinking, shoving their meals down their throats so fast that many of them began to choke before suddenly stopping with the sound of the drum. The doors opened, revealing a redheaded man with big eyebrows and a thin mustache in a silk suit. The man and his entourage, other men in purple like the patrolman from the dock, entered the restaurant and surveyed the people there. His gaze landed on a man with a half-full tankard of mead.

"Enjoying some fine liquor, I see," the redhead commented with a smile. "You know that means you'll have to pay a Drinking Tax." Two guards grabbed the man's arms as a third started feeling him up, looking for his wallet.

"No!" the patron cried as the guard pulled out his money and handed it to the redhead. "Please! If you take that, I won't be able to support my family this week!"

"Such a shame," the redhead muttered. "You should have thought about that before you went drinking."

"Who's this bastard?" Usopp asked quietly.

"That's Mayor Whetton's son, Phillip," Henzo replied in an equally low voice. "He's in charge of making and collecting the taxes." Looking for another victim, Phillip's eyes came to fall on Luffy, who was shoving pasta down his gullet with reckless abandon, neither Nami or Sanji there to enforce his table manners.

"I see you've got a heaping portion right there."

"Yeah. I was hungry." Luffy swallowed. "Although Nami says I'm always hungry. Oh well."

"I'm going to need you to pay a Heaping Tax."

"Why?" the pirate questioned through his food. "I've never heard of a Heaping Tax."

"It doesn't matter if you've heard of it or not. You still have to pay it."

"He's paying," Luffy responded, pointing to Usopp.

"You bastard!" the sniper yelled. "Why am I paying?!"

"Because Nami didn't give me any money." As the two argued, Phillip's eyes found Henzo, the older man scowling at the younger.

"Ah, Henzo. How is your research going?"

"The same as usual," the scientist grunted unhappily. "We don't know when the Mist will show up again."

"I hope it does soon," Phillip commented, making sure to be loud enough that the rest of the bar could hear him. "After all, your research is being funded by all these taxes. And your Rainbow Tower isn't cheap."

"You don't need to remind me!" Henzo snapped.

"Humf. That's fine. Men! Collect all the taxes you can find before we go. Good luck, Henzo."

* * *

Gin was _not_ having fun. Shopping with two women was bad enough, but having Sanji there only made it worse. Carrying several bags in his left hand, Gin's right was holding one of his tonfa, him using it to beat the cook over the head whenever he made a pass at either Nami or Amy. Grace was riding on Chopper in his Walk Point, a bag of paints and chemicals in one hand and rice crackers in the other; the two talking about how different chemicals reacted with the human body.

"Oh Nami-swaaan!" WHACK! "Oi! Cut that out!"

"Not until you stop flirting with the Donna," Gin shot back, referring to Nami as "Donna" due to her relation with Luffy. "Don Luffy would not be happy to hear about it."

"Yeah, yeah," Sanji waved off. "What's he gonna do, kick me off the ship?"

"Hey! You there!" a voice interrupted. With the sound of clanking, a robot with a large, round body with a window, two legs, and two black-and-yellow arms walked out, blocking their path. "I've never seen any of you before. Are you members of the pirate crew that just landed?"

"So what if we are?" Sanji questioned, falling back into a defensive stance. "And who the Hell are you?"

"I'm the grandson of Mayor Whetton, Link, and I need you criminals to pay a Pirating Tax."

"Like Hell we will!" Nami replied. "You aren't gonna get any more of my precious Beris!"

"Now let's just talk about this like civilized people," Link said, but his tone showed that he wanted things to escalate. "The tax is only 100,000,000 Beris-" The man's words were cut off when Sanji's foot struck his suit, electricity sparking from the point of contact. The cook hopped back, his shoe lightly smoking.

"Be careful," Nami warned him.

"Nami-swan cares for me!" Sanji noodled.

"I care about the bags!" the navigator corrected. That fact did not deter the chef one bit. While that exchange was happening, Amy analyzed the machine and followed the chords coming out of its back to a man on an exercise bike. Reducing her weight, the blonde floated over the man and dropped, crushing him and the bike into a crater.

"Hey, Sanji?" Grace yawned. "Can I try something?"

"Uhh, sure," the cook nodded, confused by the girl's request. It was very unlike her to offer to do anything. She nudged Chopper to carry her over to the machine, the man inside taken aback by the little girl on a deer.

"Colors Trap: Acid." Pulling out her pallet, Grace painted a circle with an X on the machine with her corrosive black paint. The liquid bubbled, eating away at the steel and glass until four even pieces fell off. Chopper was forced to jump away lest both he and Grace be crushed by the debris.

"Wh-what did you do?!" Link demanded, utterly confused by what has just happened.

"Very well done," Gin praised as the group started to walk away. Link tried to follow in a vain attempt to get them to pay the tax, but the remains of his suit tripped over what was left of the window. The satisfying crunch of metal twisting and the noise of shattering glass brought a smile to the faces of Gin, Nami, Amy, and Grace.

It seemed the little artist was becoming more like her big sister.

* * *

"Goda damn it," Usopp cursed as he, Luffy, Robin, and Coby followed Henzo through the town. The unfortunate sniper had been forced to pay for not only his meal, but for Henzo's and Luffy's meals and Luffy's Heaping Tax as well. Now he had nothing left of the island allowance Nami had given him.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Henzo apologized.

"No problem," Luffy waved off. "I like you."

"I'm glad to hear that," the older man sighed. "Very few people do nowadays."

"Ship!" a villager yelled, running toward the group and away from the harbor. "There's a giant ship pulling into the docks!" He ran past, not even glancing over to see if the people he'd just passed had heard him or not. Their curiosity peaked, the group of five ran down to the docks.

Slowly floating into the harbor was a galleon-sized warship with a red bull figurehead. The sails were nothing but rags hanging from the masts and large chunks were missing from the haul. Waving in the wind on the remains of the sails were bits and pieces of what once was probably a pirate flag.

"The Tally Ellison," Henzo whispered in awe. He dashed away, leaving Luffy and his group behind in the growing crowd. He reappeared a moment later driving a one-person car down the pier. He reached the end, but did not stop, the vehicle changing from a small car to a small boat in seconds.

"Come on, guys," Luffy called. "I smell adventure!" Before either Usopp, Robin, or Coby could react, their captain's left arm was wrapped around them and his right had a grip on the ship. With the men's screams echoing off the buildings (Robin was completely silent) and the townspeople watching, the group of four landed on the Tally Ellison.

"Rapanui!" Henzo's voice called from somewhere below the deck. As the Straw Hats went looking for him, other names floated through the air. "Isoka! Pukau! Rongo! Akibi! Where are you!"

The pirates found the scientist in the kitchen, plates of half-eaten food on the table. Henzo had taken the machine off his back and set it on the floor, but was now on his knees sobbing.

"I wish I had gone with them," he whispered to himself.

"There is still the possibility that they're alive," Robin pointed out, startling the older man who hadn't heard them come in.

"What gave you that idea?" Usopp asked.

"The food on these plates. It's warm. Whatever happened on this ship must have happened recently. I'd say within an hour."

"But that's impossible," Henzo growled. "This ship is over 50 years old."

"Wow," Coby admired. "It's in pretty good shape if it's that old."

"This ship-" the old man began. He was cut off, however, by a siren coming from his machine. "The H1 is reacting! The Rainbow Mist is here!"

Without even a side glance at the pirates, Henzo grabbed his machine, the H1, and ran out the door, leaving the Straw Hats to catch up. Arising from below deck, the pirates were shocked to see a fog rolling in, colored with every hue imaginable. Robin responded with polite curiosity, a chance to learn something she didn't know before.

A thump alerted them that Henzo was no longer on the ship. Looking around, Usopp noticed that a very familiar black flag was just visible over the deck of the Tally Ellison. And that flag was moving.

"He's taking the Merry!" the sniper shouted angrily.

"What?!" Luffy yelled. The group of four dashed to the side and, taking a leap of faith, jumped over the railing. Landing next to a sleeping Zoro who barely moved, Coby spotted Henzo on the deck. Luffy saw him moments afterward.

"You bastard!" the captain yelled. "You're trying to take our ship!" Henzo spun around, surprised by their presence.

"Th-this is your ship? Ahem, well. I'm borrowing it."

"That's not something you say after taking it!" Usopp and Coby yelled in unison.

"Well it's too late now," Henzo responded. "We're almost in the Rainbow Mist."

Within seconds, the Rainbow Mist swallowed the Going Merry and the vessel, along with all of its passengers, faded from sight.

 **End of Chapter 45**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	46. Ape's Concert

**Chapter 46:**

 **Ape's Concert**

"What is this place?" Coby asked, his gaze passing over the wrecked ships around them with a mixture of worry and awe. Luffy and Usopp were in similar states, the captain leaning more toward awe and the sniper more toward worry. Robin eyes their surroundings impassively, neither her face or her body giving any hint of her emotions.

"Have you ever heard the name 'Ape's Concert'?" Henzo answered, the name causing the archeologist to spin around and show some emotion.

"Ape's Concert?! But that's-"

"Nothing's impossible on the Grand Line," Coby interrupted. "Aren't you the one who told us that, Robin?"

"This place is awesome!" Luffy called. "Look! A Marine ship! And that looks like a pirate ship! And that looks like a spaceship! Come on, Usopp! Let's go exploring!"

"Wait, Luffy!" Usopp tried. "I have Don'tGetOnTheCreepyAbandonedShips Disea- ahhh!"

"There they go," Robin giggled, getting over her shock quickly. "What shall we do while the Captain and Long-Nose are exploring?"

"I'm going to try to contact the others," Coby answered. "I have a feeling that they'll want to know what's happening." Lifting up his wrist, Coby opened the shell over his own baby den-den. The tiny invertebrate let out its dial tone while the pirates and Henzo waited for an answer. CA-LICK

"Hello?!" Usopp's voice answered. "Is there a problem?! Are we under attack?! I told you we shouldn't have left, Luffy! Luffy?! Luffy, get out of that!"

"Sorry, Usopp!" Coby shouted over the sniper's yelling. "False alarm! I'm trying to contact the others. Don't pick up next time."

"Alright. Sorry about that." Usopp hung up. Coby closed the shell before reopening it, the baby den-den ringing once more. Nearly a minute passed and yet there was no answer.

"Come on, Nami," Coby whispered to himself. "Sanji? Gin? Chopper? Grace? Amy?" Another 30 seconds passed, but, just as Coby was about to hang up, someone answered.

"Hello?" Sanji asked. His voice was waver-y; kind of like he was talking through water. The snail's appearance mirrored this, one eye closed and its body sagging as if it was half asleep. "-ello? Any- there?"

"Sanji!" Coby yelled as if that would help. "Thank Goda someone picked up! Listen, we're kind of stuck in another dimension."

"... What?" That was Chopper's voice. That was good; they were still in a group.

"It wasn't Captain Luffy's fault this time," Coby insisted. "We met this scientist and then there was this old boat and he tried to take the Merry-"

"-ow down, slow do-!" Sanji told him. The young swordsman took a breath before starting at a slower pace.

"Alright," Sanji breathed. "Im…tant question. …Robin-chan unhurt?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Tha- …ll that matters."

"We have bigger problems, asshole!" Coby shouted.

"Hey!" Luffy called, him and Usopp returning carrying a chest between them. "Look what we found!"

"Is that treasure?" Robin questioned.

"Treasure?!" Nami yelled through the den-den, but the connection was fading. "Luffy! Bring... -at treas... ith you!... I'll-" CA-LICK

"Was that Nami?" Luffy asked, him and Usopp lowering the chest to the deck.

"Yes," Coby answered. "I got in contact with them. What's with the chest?"

"What? Oh! Usopp and I found it while exploring this old pirate ship." Luffy pulled back on the lid, revealing that the chest contained gold and silver in the form of coins, a couple of swords, and even a crown. "It's got shiny stuff, so I figured Nami would like it."

"What?!" Henzo questioned. "The legends about the treasure of Ape's Concert were real?!"

"Back away from the gold and silver!" a male voice ordered, echoing off of the ships around them. "Leave this place or face the wrath of the spirits that roam these ships for eternity!" To coincide with the end of the threat, an arrow came out of nowhere and stuck into the wood just inches over a still-sleeping Zoro's head. He didn't so much as flinch.

"Ahhhh!" Usopp screamed, ducking to hide behind Coby who instinctively transformed.

"Do not disturb the sleep of the dead or WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"

"I don't think these are ghosts, Captain," Robin commented.

"The arrow came from that direction," Coby muttered, his hand pointing left. Robin nodded before crossing her arms.

"Seis Fleur: Manos!" Six arms sprouted on the window, two of them grabbing the crossbow and the other four taking hold of its owner and throwing them onto the Merry. It was a girl, if the screams were of any indication, and her weapon landed in Robin's hand. The girl had light-pink hair that fell to her shoulders and big, brown eyes. She wore a blue jacket over a teal dress that turned white below the waist.

"Isoka!" a boy's voice yelled. The owner of this new voice swung down on a rope, intending to barrel into one of the trespassers and knock them into the water. Rather than mowing Robin over like the boy had intended, the triceratops hybrid jumped in the way, planting his feet and catching the assailant's momentum. "Let me go, you monster!" The new boy, who was shorter than Grace, had dirty blond hair, a blue muscle shirt with a smiley face, blue pants, and a big nose.

"You know," Coby said, shocking the kid, "usually, calling someone a monster doesn't make them want to do what you say. I mean, our crew is way out of the norm, but calling us monsters is a Nakama-only privilege."

"Rongo! No!" the girl, Isoka, called. She reached for her friend, but more arms bloomed to hold her still against the Merry's deck.

"Let them go!" yet another voice called. This one came from an olive-skinned boy with short, black hair and beady eyes. His green jacket was zipped up to hide his shirt and brown pants hid his legs. The boy swung down on another rope and crashed into Usopp, the two rolling head-over-heels over each other until Usopp's face met the railing and the boy was thrown into the ocean.

"Akibi!" Isoka cried before another one of Robin's arms sprouted to cover her mouth.

"Stop it!" the first voice yelled. The kid, who was standing on a beached pirate ship beside the Merry, looked older than the others by about a year and had blond hair that contrasted with his darker skin. His brown leopard-print shirt was partially hidden by a dust-colored vest and blue pants covered his legs. In his hand he was holding a small metal ball. "Let my friends go or I swear I'll blow us all up!" The boy jumped down to the Merry's deck.

"Blow us up?!" Usopp cried as Luffy asked, "Who're you?"

"Rapanui!" Henzo cried out with tears in his eyes. "Is it really you?!"

"Let. My. Friends. Go!" Nobody moved except Henzo who slowly shuffled forward. "I swear I'll do it!"

"But you'd kill your friends, too!" Usopp panicked.

"Even in death, the Pumpkin Pirates will stay together!" Henzo did not stop his approach, even when the boy ordered him to. "Hey! Are you deaf? I said stop! What are you doing?" the leader questioned.

"That's not a bomb," the scientist stated, reaching forward. Rapanui tried to pull away, but he was too late as the older man's finger pushed a button. There was a blinding flash, but no explosion.

"The Kaboom Mark 3," Henzo continued, tears falling freely. "I built it for you all those years ago." With eyes filled with anger and confusion, the blond threw the remains of the "bomb" on the deck, the Kaboom Mark 3 exploding into a smokescreen. The sudden loss of vision broke Robin's concentration, her extra arms vanishing and releasing the girl before the crossbow was ripped from her hand. While visibility was zero, a weight slammed into Coby, forcing him to release his hold on Rongo.

When the smoke cleared seconds later, there was no sign of the kids except the two halves of the Kaboom Mark 3 with a tiny pirate flag inside and the arrow over the still-napping but slowy-waking swordsman.

"Ahh," Zoro yawned, getting up and stretching. "That was a good nap. What's going on? Who's the old guy?"

"Zoro-sensei,' Coby sighed over Robin's amused giggles, "you're hopeless."

* * *

"Treasure?!" Nami yelled at the baby den-den on Sanji's wrist. "Bring that treasure back with you! I'll-" CA-LICK "buy you meat..."

"So Luffy and the others are stuck in another dimension filled with broken ships and gold," Gin muttered. "Why am I not that surprised?"

"Alright, everyone!" Nami ordered. "We're gonna steal a ship and go get all that treasure!"

"Do we have to?" Grace whined. That sounded like a lot of work. Although compared to Amy's idea of "sister time"...

"Luffy and Zoro aren't here, that means I'm in charge-"

"Aren't you basically in charge anyway?" Chopper whispered. Nami ignored him.

"-and I say we're raiding that other dimension for all the gold it's worth!"

"That may just be one of the weirdest sentences I've ever heard," Amy commented, "and I used to word for a guy made of sand and with a bomb man for a partner."

"I'd follow you to Hell and back, Nami-swan!"

"What the Hell? It's better than shopping."

"With Sanji and Gin, we'll be perfectly safe," Chopper reasoned.

"I guess we're all going in," Amy sighed, her little sister nodding.

"Alright!" Nami cried. "To the harbor!"

* * *

"And that's what happened," Henzo finished. He'd been explaining how it was his friends had ended up in the Rainbow Mist and why he'd put up with working under the former pirate, Whetton.

"But that was 50 years ago," Usopp observed. "Why do they still look like kids?"

"Time isn't the same in Ape's Concert," Robin answered. "The legends claim that its inhabitants can go for an eternity without aging or needing food."

"Please," Henzo begged. "Please help me save my friends."

"Okay," Luffy smiled.

"Wh-what?" the professor stuttered. "Just like that?"

"Well, yeah. We're here anyway."

"Thank you. Thank you!"

"Now," Robin spoke up, "why don't we ask that boy over there where the others are?"

"What boy?" Coby asked. In response, Robin crossed her arms and closed her eyes. There was a muffled "oopf" and a large kid with brown hair in a yellow shirt under denim overalls was pushed into view. "Oh. That boy."

"Hey, kid!" Robin called. "Would you be so kind as to take us to your leader?"

 **End of Chapter 46**

* * *

 **Omake:**

 **High Seas Hijinks:**

 **Dinosauric Disasters 2**

 **(Takes place after the events of Alabasta)**

 ***Please note, all scientific Devil Fruit BS is my own headcanon and does not really play any roll in the overall story.**

The ship floated along over the waves lazily, rocking gently to and fro. It was a beautiful day. The sky was blue, the waves were also blue, and everything else was its appropriate color. Still, this was no consolation for a certain rosette of a certain pirate crew. He and his crew's doctor were seated across from each other on the deck of their ship, talking.

"The Rumble Ball," Chopper said, his eyes locked with those of the only other Zoan on the crew and said drug in his hand, "is a drug that I designed myself with some help from Doctorine shortly after she took me in. The Rumble Ball acts as a form of temporary power growth, allowing me to use seven different forms for three minutes after eating. Theoretically, it should work for any Zoan Devil Fruit."

"And you want to test this on me, why?" Coby questioned, glancing down at the spherical yellow drug in his hand. He was getting an uneasy feeling in his stomach and it wasn't from the rocking of the ship.

"You're the only other Zoan!" Chopper exclaimed. "There's no one else to try it on!"

"But do we have to? I think I'd be better if I just stuck to my swords..."

"*cough* Wimp. *cough*" Amy coughed from a dozen feet away through a dessert Sanji had brought her. Coby felt his eye twitch. Still, after weeks of being on the same crew, Amy would still not let up on him. And he didn't know why, either.

"Grr, fine," Coby grumbled, raising the drug to his lips. "Let's rumble." He crunched down on the ball, feeling the shattered drug slide down his throat. A ticklish sensation spread from his stomach, enveloping the rest of his body in a matter of seconds. "Alright, Chopper. Now what?"

"Well," the doctor shrugged. "We'll see what happens. Try to transform."

"Whatever you say, Chopper." Reaching down into himself, Coby let the tingling of his powers well up inside of him, altering his form. It felt the same as it usually did, but there seemed to be a higher amount around his forehead than usual. In fact, it just kept getting stronger.

"Chopper," Coby muttered uneasily. "Something doesn't feel right. Can I stop?"

"No!" Chopper denied. "It's perfectly safe! ...Theoretically."

"That doesn't make me feel better," the rosette respond. The feeling in his head still hadn't stopped and he was beginning to feel top heavy. The sun in his eyes was starting to get shaded by his horns. "Chopper, I'm stopping!"

But he didn't stop. He couldn't. With a groan, and despite his best efforts, gravity pulled Coby down into the deck with a thump. He was in what appeared to be his Dino Mode, but his body was much skinnier than normal and his horns were almost three times as long, making each one about half the length of the rest of his body.

"Fascinating," Chopper awed, circling around the fallen Zoan. "It seems you've found your own Horn Point."

"Yeah," Coby growled, "but I can't get up or change back."

"What, really?" Chopper gasped. "But, my theories..."

"Kyahahaha!"

"Not to rain on your parade, Mr. Doctor," Robin spoke up, walking down from the upper deck where she had been watching, "but did you take into account the species and mass differences?"

"The mass isn't an issue!" Chopper responded immediately. "Every equation with the Rumble Ball cancels out the mass of the Zoan! And the species is..." He trailed off, his eyes widening. "Of course! I'm a human-reindeer, but Coby is a triceratops-human! The Rumble Balls were made for my DNA which is still mostly reindeer, but Coby's, which would be 40% similar if he were still fully human, would now only have a 24% similarity to mine!"

"Hey, hey!" Coby shouted, trying to pick himself up and falling due to the size of his horns. "English, please!"

"Oh," the doctor blinked. "Well, Docorine and I managed to calculate that when a person or animal eats a Zoan Devil Fruit, then the Fruit only alters about 40% of their DNA, so I'm technically only 40% human. The Rumble Balls were designed with my DNA in mind and the ratio of human-to-animal therein."

"Meaning?"

"The Rumble Balls are designed for creatures with 60% deer DNA and 40% human, of which I am the only one. You, however, would need a drug designed for someone who is 60% human and 40% triceratops."

"So what you're saying," Coby summarized with a growl, "is that you just made me use a drug that would only ever work for you or any other deer that ate your Fruit."

"Ah, yes? But!" Chopper shouted. "It wouldn't be too hard to make a Rumble Ball for you! It'd just take about three test tubes of your blood, a little bit of flesh from your Dino Mode, and about a... week..." Chopper's voice slowed to a stop, his eyes meeting with Coby's enraged orbs.

"...Chopper. You have until I get free to run and hide. I suggest you take it."

The reindeer didn't need to be told twice. With a scream of something akin to terror, the furred animal took off at top speed, his cry attracting the attentions of the rest of the crew.

"Coby?" Sanji questioned, voicing the thoughts of everyone else as he stepped out of the kitchen. "What happened to you?"

"Shishishi! You look ridiculous!"

"Chopper's experiment happened," the angered Zoan spat out over Amy's laughing and Robin's chuckles. "I suggest you get a large pot ready, Sanji, because we're having venison stew tonight as soON AS I GET MY HANDS ON OUR EMERGENCY FOOD SUPPLY!"

"I'm sorry!" Chopper's voice wailed from somewhere below deck.

"PRAY TO WHATEVER GODS YOU HAVE, CHOPPER!" Coby roared, starting to lift himself using strength made of pure anger. "I'M COMING FOR- erk." The rosette crumbled, unconscious. Zoro stood over his student, Wado Ichimonji in his hand from where he had used its pommel to knock the boy out.

"What the Hell, Zoro?!" Nami yelled.

"What?" the swordsman shrugged. "It's not like I could have let him attack Chopper. I mean, yeah, both of them would have been fine, but..."

"Of course," Robin agreed. "It wouldn't do for Mr. Doctor to be eaten on the angered whim of our Little Swordsman. Else we'd all contract some horrible disease while out at sea, unable to do anything as our flesh rotted and fell off of our bones while we were still alive to feel every moment."

There was silence as a shudder passed through not only the crew, but also the ship itself. Even Coby, though he was unconscious, shivered.

"Robin-chwan is beautiful when she's imagining our gruesome deaths," Sanji sighed.

"Damn, Robin," Gin cursed. "Did you have to go into detail?"

"Well, no," the woman answered. "But I felt like it." With a smile that was much too warm for the scenario that that had just come out of her mouth, Robin turned and began to enter the bowels of the ship. "Mr. Doctor!" she called as the door shut behind her. "It's safe to come out!"

"Not for another few days!" Chopper's voice blubbered. "Help me, Robin!"

"So, we're not going to speak of this again, right?" Nami asked slowly to which she received nods of assent. "Good. Dismissed."

 **Fin.**

* * *

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	47. The Pumpkin Pirates

**Chapter 47:**

 **The Pumpkin Pirates**

 _Robin crossed her arms and closed her eyes. There was a muffled "oopf" and a large kid with brown hair in a yellow shirt under denim overalls was pushed into view._

 _"Hey, kid!" Robin called. "Would you be so kind as to take us to your leader?"_

The boy, who Henzo identified as Pukau, was brought to the ship. At first he was quite reluctant, but as they sailed through Ape's Concert, he realized that the Straw Hats weren't bad people. Eventually, the Merry made its way to rest next to a wrecked Marine ship, black flags with a skull-shaped pumpkin waving in the Rainbow Mist's constant, unexplained breeze.

"Pukau!" Rapanui cried worriedly, seeing his friend on an enemy ship. "Let him go!"

"Why would we do that?" Luffy questioned innocently from his captain's seat. "We came here to find you all, after all."

"Don't give me that crap!" The leader of the Pumpkin Pirates hopped down, sword in hand, slashing at Luffy. The rubber-man jumped back to stand beside Zoro before the weapon could hit him. Rapanui attacked again, but Zoro partially drew his own sword. The boy's weapon was ripped from his hand and splashed into the water, pronouncing the difference of skill between the two.

"Hey, kid," Zoro muttered darkly. "Swords are dangerous if you don't know how to use them."

"Dammit! Leave us alone!"

"Wait, Rapanui!" Pukau insisted. "They aren't bad people. They're here to help get us out of the Mist."

"You can't trust them," Rapanui growled. "You can never trust a grown-up."

"If you can't trust them, then trust me." Coby stepped forward, his hands out as a sign of peace. "I'm not an adult. That means you can trust me, right? We're here to get you out of here."

"Why would you do that?" Rapanui asked skeptically. "We don't know any of you."

"Professor Henzo asked us for help. He's been looking for ways to save you for 50 years now."

"Henzo?" the blond asked. "Wait. Did you say 50 years? What-?"

"According to the books I've read, time isn't the same in the Rainbow Mist," Robin offered. "A lot has changed back on Luluka, and not much of it is good."

"What do you mean?" Rapanui demanded.

"Why don't you call your friends down?" Robin suggested just as Usopp walked out of the kitchen with several plates of food. Sure, Sanji wouldn't be happy that the sniper had made a mess in there, but they were hungry and could just blame Luffy. "It would be a hassle to explain twice," the woman continued.

"…Isoka!" Rapanui called hesitantly. "Rongo! Akibi!" The three children jumped down, eyeing the food with unhidden want. Pukau had no doubts and rushed over to the meal, he and Luffy eating quickly.

"Slow down!" Usopp ordered, punching Luffy over the head. "Save some for everyone else!"

"Would you all like some?" Robin asked with a kind smile.

"Oh boy!" Rongo replied, not bothering to note that the "monster" from earlier was nowhere to be seen. He, Isoka, and Akibi hurried over to join their friend.

"Don't worry, kid," Zoro laughed, a bottle of booze in his hand. "Usopp may not be our cook, but he's not half-bad." Slowly, the leader joined his friends.

"You said a lot has changed back on Luluka," the young blond prompted. "What did you mean by that?"

"We heard the story about how you all ended up here," Coby began. "How you ended up stealing Whetton's ship, the Tally Ellison. Well, Whetton decided not to leave."

"What?!"

"For the last 50 years, Whetton had been the tyrant mayor of Luluka's town," Robin took over, "forcing the people to pay outrageous taxes. He hopes that he can take all the treasure from Ape's Concert. And he used Professor Henzo to be able to do so."

"What did he do to Henzo?!" Rapanui demanded.

"He made me work for him," the professor answered, tears streaming down his face. "He knew I'd do anything to find you five again, so he told me that if I researched the Rainbow Mist for him, he would let me save you and wouldn't kill you."

"Henzo," Isoka whispered. "Is it really you?"

"It's me. It's really me." One by one, the children hugged the older man until he was in the center of a group hug, glad to be reunited with their friend.

"Now that we've got that settled," Zoro yawned, "how are we gonna get out of here?"

"I talked with the others while you were napping, Zoro-sensei. I have a feeling Nami is going to drag them into the Mist to get the treasure. We know how much she loves money. They'll find us and we can sail out together."

"I thought you weren't after the treasure," Rapanui hissed, his eyes narrowing.

"Our navigator is a different story," Coby waved off. "Plus, she's got Captain Luffy wrapped around her finger so tightly that she'll be the freest person in the world when he's the Pirate King."

"What do you mean?" Luffy questioned. "I'm right here, so how can I be wrapped around her finger? Besides, her hands are way too small for me to wrap around."

"It's just an expression, Captain," Robin laughed. "The point is that the rest of the crew will be here soon."

"You seem to have a lot of faith in your friends," Pukau observed.

"Of course!" Luffy all but yelled. "We've had loads of adventures together!"

"So are you going to come out of the Mist with us?" Coby asked. Rapanui seemed to think about it, weighing their options.

"Guys," he finally said. "Let's get the stuff ready. We're leaving."

* * *

"Hurry up, you maggots!" Mayor Whetton ordered from his spot on the docks, the Rainbow Mist within eyesight. "Get ready to launch the Rainbow Tower! Has anyone gotten in contact with Henzo?"

"No, sir!" the man next to the den-den answered. "We've searched the entire island and we can't get through. It seems he's already in the Rainbow Mist and that it's messing with the den-den mushi. That or he doesn't have his with him."

"Tch. Fine. We don't need him anyway. Launch the Rainbow Tower! And somebody bring me my suit!"

"Father!" Phillip called, running up to Whetton.

"That's Mayor Whetton!" the ex-pirate yelled, punching his moronic son.

"Sorry, Mayor Whetton," Phillip amended.

"Where is Link?"

"That's what I needed to talk to you about. Someone destroyed his suit and refused to pay a tax! And his arm's broken from where part of his suit crushed it."

"His suit's broken? Dammit. Oh well, it doesn't matter right now. We're going into the Rainbow Mist. Gather your men."

"Yes, father."

"That's Mayor Whetton!"

* * *

"Alright, punks, nobody move or I shoot the kid!" a man demanded from the deck of the wrecked Marine ship that the Pumpkin Pirates has been using as their base. He was rather tan with long brown hair under a blue-and-white striped headband that looked nearly identical to Gin's. He held Rongo by the neck with a gun on his head, the boy's form partially hiding the man's light blue shirt and maroon slacks. Brown boots covered his feet and just a hint of stubble on his chin showed that he'd been in the Mist for nearly a week.

"Ian!" Rapanui yelled angrily. "What the Hell are you doing?!" About 15 minutes had passed since he'd told the other kids to go pack, so something must have happened. Last Rapanui had seen, the former Whetton pirate had been in one of the holding cells after the kids had mutinied against him.

"What does it look like?" Ian shot back. "I'm taking control so you brats don't leave me behind. I'm not the one that's going to be staying."

"I don't like you," Luffy stated, causing the man to notice the new faces of Luffy and what few of his crew were with him.

"And who are you? Some more morons that decided to see what Ape's Concert had in store?"

"Put the kid down," Luffy ordered.

"Or what? You gonna punch me or something?"

Luffy did just that.

"Gum-Gum Pistol!" The captain's arm shot forward, scaring not only the older pirate, but the younger Pumpkin Pirates and Henzo as well. Ian wasn't scared for long, however, since he fell unconscious by the force of Luffy's fist against his face.

"You're weird, too?" Akibi questioned, his eyes narrowing on the straw-hat-wearing teen.

"Yeah!" Luffy smiled. "I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit when I was little, so now I'm a rubber-man."

"And what about you two?" Rapanui asked, turning his gaze on Zoro and Usopp. "Do you two have weird powers, too?"

"Nope," Zoro answered with a yawn. "I'm just a swordsman and he's just a coward."

"That's right!" Usopp agreed before coming to a realization. "Hey!"

"Luffy!" a familiar voice called. The group's attention turned to the water where an undecorated boat just under the size of the Merry was sailing toward them. Gin and Chopper each had an oar and were struggling to move the ship since it was laden down with treasure chests and jewels of all shapes and sizes. Amy stood in the crow's nest while Grace and Nami stood on the deck amongst the treasure, the orange-haired girl waving at her captain. Sanji was hidden in the back, controlling the rudder.

"Robin-chwan!" the cook's voice yelled. Everyone ignored him.

"Nami!" Luffy called back happily, his stretchy arms quickly pulling the girl to the rubber-man were he planted a kiss on her lips. Behind them, the Pumpkin Pirates gagged at the "gross adult stuff" and mumbled something about coodies. The other ship pulled up beside the Going Merry and the navigator soon put Zoro, Coby, Usopp, Chopper, Gin, and Sanji to work transferring all the expensive cargo from their stole... er, _borrowed_ ship to the pirate vessel. Introductions were made and Ian was tied up, Luffy going only so far as to explain that "he's a bastard. I don't like him."

"Alright," Amy announced. "We came. We saw. We collected treasure. Now how do we leave?"

"That's... actually a really good question," Gin muttered. "How are we going to leave? And are we taking that guy with us?" He gestured to the still-unconscious Ian.

"Nah," Rapanui waved off. "We'll leave him a knife. It's not like the world will miss him. I sure won't."

"Kyahahaha!"

"That's damn cruel, kid," Gin smiled as Amy laughed. "I like you already."

"That still doesn't answer how we're getting out of here," Usopp fretted.

"The entrance is still open, right?" Robin thought aloud. "There isn't really a roof, so Ms. Valentine should be able to spot the entrance from the air and direct us out."

"That sounds like a good plan," Chopper agreed.

"But how is the blonde lady going to get up there?" Rongo asked. The chocolatier smiled down at the boy as she opened her parasol and pressed the button on it. The three propellers spun and lifted her up and away, the boy gaping at her form. She rose quickly, reaching nearly half a mile up in less than a minute.

BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP...

"Hello," Nami answered, opening her baby den-den.

"Reporting," Amy declared, her voice clear as day now that they were on the same side of the Rainbow Mist's veil. "I can see the entrance. Do a 180 and go straight. I'll follow from the air."

"You boys heard her! Let's get moving!" The Merry exploded into activity, the men (minus Zoro, who went back to napping) running every which way to get the ship pointed the right direction. During the momentary chaos, Rapanui was sure to dump Ian on the abandoned vessel and stab a knife into the wood next to his face. They left him there and took off.

"Take the next right," Amy told them. "Yes. Right there. Alright, keep going. Take a left. No, the other left. Yeah, that one. Go straight. Wait... What is that?"

"What is it?" Nami demanded into the snail.

"Something just came through the entrance. A long, metal tube with what looks like a pumpkin on top. Oh, it just opened. Now there are small boats coming out of it."

"That would be the Rainbow Tower," Henzo offered. "That's good news and bad news."

"What's the good news?" Coby questioned.

"As long as it stays in the entrance, it shouldn't be able to close."

"And the bad news?" Usopp gulped.

"Whetton's here. He forced me to design the tower so he could use it like a conveyor belt to collect all the gold from Ape's Concert."

"Then I hope he's ready for a fight," Luffy grinned, punching the palm of his hand. "There's no way I'm letting him take this gold away from Nami. I'm gonna kick his ass!"

"Luffy said it," Usopp nodded sagely. "It's going to happen now. There's no avoiding it."

"Zoro-sensei," Coby muttered, shaking his teacher. "Zoro-sensei. There's going to be a fight."

"I'm up," the swordsman yawned. "Where's the fight?"

 **End of Chapter 47**

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 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	48. Whetton's Invasion

**This is the last chapter for The Rainbow Mist Arc. It didn't have a lot of action, but it was a filler that I, and others, really enjoy. Next chapter sows the seeds for our favorite pirates' sky travels. Are you all prepared?**

* * *

 **Chapter 48:**

 **Whetton's Invasion**

"Sir?" Phillip meekly began, reading the reports that the scouts had send back to the Rainbow Tower which he and his father stood on. The conveyor belt installed next to them was running without any problem, including much weight. Only every few minutes would any piece if gold or silver pass them by over the device. "We seem to have a problem."

"What is it?" Whetton demanded from where he was seated firmly inside his Flame Suit, blocking his few of the belt in favor of Ape's Concert itself. His Flame Suit looked much like his grandson's Thunder Suit, but ran on oil rather than electricity and had a shark-toothed grin painted on the front.

"Sir, we can't seem to find near as much gold as you thought we would."

"What?! How much have you collected?"

"Just about half a million Beris and we've emptied every ship in sight."

"Dammit," Whetton cursed. "Well, start spreading out then."

"But, Dad," the redhead protested. "If we do that, the men could get lost."

"You think I care, you little shit? Do it!"

"But-"

"Gum-Gum Pistol!" A rubbery fist smashed into the glass on the front of Whetton's Flame Suit, cracking it in several dozen places and rendering the window near useless.

"What the Hell!" the pirate mayor yelled as he stumbled backwards. Luffy dropped onto the panel, his hat shading his eyes. Rapanui landed next to him, pipe in hand. His vision obscured by the now-white glass, Whetton tore the window out to give himself visibility once again. "Who the Hell are you?"

"That's the leader of the people that broke Link's arm!" Phillip angrily pointed out.

"I'm just a pirate," Luffy muttered ominously, "but I'm at least a proper one."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Whetton demanded. "And how did you get in here? No one enters the Rainbow Mist without my permission. I'm going to have to fine you a 900-million Beri Entry Tax."

"Not gonna happen, Old Guy," Luffy told him. "Will a good ass-kicking do?"

"Don't get smart with me, boy! I sailed the seas longer than you've been alive! But I'm afraid that you've just crossed a line. I'm mad, so the price for the Angering Me Tax is your life!" Fire blew from the ends of the Flame Suit's arms, threatening to consume both Luffy and Rapanui. The younger males dove to opposite sides and approached from different angles, but Whetton would have none of that. He aimed one flamethrower at each of the boys, forcing them to stop their approach and back away.

Angered by this, Luffy shot his arm forward too fast for Whetton to react with his fire, so the older man blocked the punch with his suit's forearm. The metal there dented but held.

Taking the advantage offered, Rappanui ran in from the right with an overhead strike. Whetton caught that attack as well, but with his opponent close, he was able to retaliate. The boy was flung into the water by the force of the punch the mayor threw into his gut. Unfortunately for him, Whetton had temporarily forgotten about his rubber foe.

"Gum-Gum Whip!" Luffy stretched leg met the oil tanks on the back of the Flame Suit, shattering the glass and removing the fuel from the equation. Cursing, Whetton threw the machine off and declared it dead weight.

"You dare think you can cross me and live?!" Whetton cried out hysterically. "You'll never leave the Mist alive! I'll make sure of it!" The elderly pirate fished a lighter out of his pocket and bolted, throwing the lit lighter behind him.

The oil on the ground exploded on contact, blasting Luffy and Phillip deeper into the Mist and Whetton out of it. The Rainbow Tower shook violently, cracks zigzagging along the structure before the entire thing fell into the water and sunk piece by piece. The explosion also affected the pocket dimension known as Ape's Concert, a ripple passing over everything and everyone in the mysterious area. The misty sky became opaque, shapes of flying creatures unknown appearing.

"Father!" Phillip called out in worry as Rapanui surfaced with Luffy slung over his smaller frame. "Father! You forgot me!"

"He didn't forget," the young blond growled. "The coward abandoned you."

"No," the redhead tried to deny. "He wouldn't do that."

"Well he just did," Rapanui retorted. "Come on; there's a sea king in these waters and you'll get eaten if you stay there." Rapanui kicked his legs, swimming toward the Going Merry on the horizon as fast as he could while dragging Luffy with him. Phillip followed, shaking in fear. As they drew closer to the pirate vessel, more and more of Whetton's collection ships were wrecked or destroyed, signs of battle present on each one in less than four pieces. None of the men were dead, however. Unconscious or treading water, yes, but not dead.

Seeing that it was Rapanui approaching, Coby dropped a rope ladder, allowing the boy carrying his captain onto the ship. Phillip hesitantly followed seeing as his only other option was to stay there and be eaten. Arriving on deck, the leader of the Pumpkin Pirates noticed that one person was missing.

"Where's Nami?" he asked, hoping to pass the weakened pirate off to his significant other. Luffy was heavier than he looked after all.

"She's downstairs," Robin answered. "I believe Mr. Swordsman said she was in a 'cash coma'."

"Oh. Well could someone please take him? Please?"

"No need," Sanji muttered. A second later, all of his near-limitless energy returned to Luffy who bounced up. "But what is that guy doing here?"

"Whetton ditched him when the tower blew," Rapanui explained as Phillip squirmed under the cook's glare.

"Guys," Gin called, his voice tinged with fear. "I think we've got a problem." He pointed at the beach of space-time where the image of Luluka was slowly becoming blurry.

"The portal's closing!" Chopper yelled unnecessarily.

"Let's get out of here!" Grace shouted, also unnecessarily.

"What about them?" Coby asked, indicating all of Whetton's men stranded in the water. "I know they attacked us and we wrecked their ships in return, but are we going to just leave them here?"

"Of course not," Luffy smiled. He walked over to the ladder. "Oi! You guys! The portal-thingy is closing! Get on!" It didn't seem to bother any of Whetton's men that their former enemies were saving them as every one of them swam over, several dragging along the injured and unconscious.

"How are we going to move?" Isoka questioned. "The wind isn't as strong as it used to be." Rapanui quickly scanned the surroundings before his eyes fell on a Marine ship on the opposite side of the Merry.

"I've got an idea," he said carefully. "Luffy, turn the ship toward the breach."

"Ah, sure," the teen answered. "What's you plan?"

"Just do it," Rapanui responded. Luffy turned away to get to work. While he wasn't looking, the boy dove off the side and started swimming away.

"Rapanui!" Henzo cried out. "What are you doing?!"

"That ship should be stocked with explosives!" the leader of the Pumpkin Pirates responded, pointing the Navy vessel. "I'm going to set them off! That'll give you all the tailwind you need!"

"But-" Whatever Henzo was about to say died in his throat as Isoka jumped over the railing beside him. "Isoka!" Rongo, Akibi, and Pukau jumped as well, joining their friends in the water. Henzo wanted nothing more than to join them, but he knew that he wasn't physically strong enough to swim with them like he used to. "Guys, wait!"

"Go on!" Rapanui ordered. "It doesn't matter how long it takes, we'll return to Luluka! That's a promise!" The group of five swam away toward the Marine ship as the Merry slowly faced the portal in the other direction. Henzo yelled out once more for them to come back, to not leave him again, but his pleas went unheard in the explosion.

The Navy vessel was engulfed in flames. Shockwaves raced out, shaking the foundation of Ape's Concert for a second time. Wind from the air pressure filled the sails and forced the Merry through the breach as speeds she was not meant to go. Water was violently forced out of the way and the air resistance cracked the mast. Coming to a slow stop, the Going Merry floated in Luluka Bay with the sun shining down on her and the Rainbow Mist fading into nothing.

"Rapanui..." Henzo cried silently. "Everybody... Why?"

"We're free!" Phillip yelled happily, mindless of the fate of the children. "We're free! We're free!" He continued to chant until Luffy punched him, sending the man overboard. Whetton's men soon followed; whether because they jumped off themselves or were forced off by the crew was their own choice. Leaving those men to swim to shore, the Merry approached the small, glittering pile of riches on the dock. None of them noticed the Marine ship that had anchored near the end of the bay.

"Hey!" Luffy yelled, getting the attention of Whetton who was happily hugging his relatively small pile of treasure. "Bastard mayor guy! I'm here to kick your ass!"

"What?" Whetton growled, detaching himself from the gold. "You again? How'd you get out of the Mist?"

"Doesn't matter," Luffy replied, he and the rest of his crew, minus Nami, jumping down to face the old man on the dock. "Because of you, those kids are still stuck in the Mist. I liked them."

"Now hold on a second," the mayor tried, becoming aware of their overwhelming numerical advantage. "You're pirates, right? Here, have some treasure. In return, we'll forget this little fallout ever happened. Deal?"

"Not likely," Grace muttered, the others either cracking their knuckles or prepping their weapons.

"Hold it right there!" a soaking-wet Phillip commanded as he trudged onto the scene with a hoard of marines behind him. "There they are, Captain. Arrest them!"

"Of course," the lead marine nodded. He was a tall man in his early 60's with light blond hair that contrasted with his tanned skin. Without warning, he turned Phillip away from him and cuffed the redhead.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Whetton demanded as the marine's second-in-command, an older woman with pink-hair, forcefully cuffed him as well. "I am the mayor of this town! You can't do this!"

"Actually, we can," the marine responded. "You see, we have eyewitness testimony that you are not a citizen of this town, but actually the captain of the Whetton Pirates. We also have reason to believe that this gold here was all stolen some time ago and. As it has no owner, it is now property of the World Government."

"It's my gold!" Whetton screamed, all but throwing a temper tantrum. "I won't let you have it!" The man and his son were forcefully dragged away.

"Rapanui?" Henzo tentatively questioned from the deck of the Merry. He climbed down the ladder and shuffled up to the marine. "Is it really you, Rapanui?"

"Henzo," Rapanui smiled, Asoka, Rongo, Pukau, and Akibi lining up behind him. "You don't look a day older than the last time I saw you."

"You came back," Henzo cried, wrapping his arms around the blond and hugging him as if his life depended on it.

"Wait," Robin blinked. "You all are the children from the Rainbow Mist?"

"But that shouldn't be possible," Usopp pointed out. "We saw that ship explode just seconds ago with our own eyes."

"The Rainbow Mist is a fickle thing," Rapanui answered, quoting from the first book he'd written about the anomaly. Robin's eyes widened as realization dawned on her. "When that explosion launched you all one way, we went the other and ended up on a deserted island in the South Blue. The Marines picked us up and we decided that the best way to take down Whetton was to have the Navy on our side. Although, getting enough rank to be able to sail here freely took longer than we'd thought it would. But make no mistake, I'm still a Pumpkin Pirate in my heart."

"Man, am I glad you guys are alive," Luffy laughed.

"Unfortunately, I'm still a marine, so I can't just let you pirates get away."

"Oh no!" Usopp panicked. "We save them and this is how they repay us?! How ungrateful!"

"But wait!" Rapanui seemed to realize, grabbing his head dramatically and raising his voice. "With all this gold and the rest of Whetton's men running about, we'll have to call in reinforcements! They would take at least two days to arrive! The Straw Hat Pirates could be way too far away by the time they get here! Whatever shall we do?!"

"Great acting," the crew muttered sarcastically while Luffy laughed. They boarded the Going Merry once again and began sailing away, only looking back long enough to register Henzo waving goodbye and the now-Marine officials saluting them.

"You know," Coby commented. "That's the second time I've seen marines saluting this crew. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

"I'd say it's better to not think about it," Sanji told him. "It'll just confuse you."

"Yeah... I guess."

Nami emerged from the treasure room the next morning. The sky was clear, the sea was calm, and everything seemed right as rain.

...Until it started raining broken ships, that is.

 **End of Chapter 48**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	49. Arrival at Jaya

**I almost hate myself... So, in explanation: I write all this stuff on my tablet, then transfer it to my laptop where I edit, then finally move it to Fanfiction for final edits the week I post each couple of chapters. _This_ chapter I ended up accidentally deleting half of as I tried to transfer it from one to another, thereby forcing me to re-write the first half of the chapter from what I could remember. _After_ having spent three hours straight writing it out a month prior. Now, this chapter is much shorter that it had been originally, much to my dismay. So if this chapter seems to disconnect at some point, then you've probably found where I accidentally hit "cut" rather than "copy".**

 **On another note, I've hit a snag. Writer's Block has struck again, this time trying to stop me from writing out the fight scenes for Thriller Bark. I have maybe three or four chapter of that arc left until it's done, but this one I'm working on eludes me. I'm not sure why I'm telling you all this; I'm sure you don't really care, but it felt right.**

 **Anyway, this A/N is too long already. On to the chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 49:**

 **Arrival at Jaya**

"That was fun, wasn't it?" Luffy questioned from his seat on the figurehead. The crew was spread out behind him, enjoying the nice weather.

"I'm not sure I would call that fun," Usopp responded. "Dangerous and terrifying come to mind, though."

"I certainly don't want to live there," Coby added, "but would be nice to go back and say hello some time." Feeling something land on him, the boy looked up to check the sky, but he saw nothing save for what seemed to be a dark cloud. Apparently, Grace felt it, too.

"Rain?" the artist asked. In response, the girl's sister opened her parasol.

"No," Nami frowned. "It's… wood?" She looked up and noticed that the "cloud" Coby had seen was not a cloud at all. "Holy shit! Turn the ship! Turn the ship now! There's a ship falling from the sky!" Reacting to their navigator's sudden demand, the crew scurried about to do as she ordered.

"This is just a dream," Usopp whispered to himself from where he had curled up against the mast. "Just a dream. If I count to three and open my eyes, I'll wake up. One, two, three!" But he didn't wake up. Instead, the sniper found a skeleton falling toward him. With a scream, the teen scrambled away as the remains' skull shattered on the deck.

The Going Merry only had a minute, just barely enough time for the little caravel to get out from under the looming shadow of the galleon above her. The massive, ancient ship, colored a faded red and with a tiki-mask-like figurehead, crashed into the sea off the starboard bow, kicking up giant waves that threatened to capsize the ship of the Straw Hat Pirates.

"Wow!" Luffy marveled as the ocean settled. "Come on, Usopp! Let's go exploring!"

"No!" the terrified sniper tried to protest. The captain would have none of it, however, and grabbed him before jumping to the sinking ship. Robin, meanwhile, knelt down to the deck.

"What are you doing?" Coby asked, glancing over the woman's shoulder.

"I'm reconstructing the skull, of course," Robin responded, placing the last piece of bone in said skull, save for a small, uniform hole in the back of the cranium.

"That was fast," Amy blinked.

"Who cares about some old bones?" Zoro yawned.

"You can learn a lot from old bones," the woman argued. "For instance, I'd say this person died about 200 years ago."

"How can you tell?" Nami asked.

"This hole, here, is from a process known as craterization. The practice died out about that time. Am I correct, Doctor?"

"Yeah," Chopper nodded from where he was 'hiding' behind the mast. "Craterization was a procedure where part of the skull was removed to take out tumors in the brain. It stopped being practiced because the holes left behind were more susceptible to infection."

"Uh, guys," Coby muttered. "We may have a problem."

"What now?" Nami demanded. The boy only pointed toward where the ship should have been, only for bubbles and two flailing pirates to be there. With a sigh, Sanji removed his jacket and jumped in.

After returning, the chef dropped the sniper and the Devil Fruit user on the deck, the captain with something clutched in his hand. Several seconds later, said captain jumped up and began talking about how cool the stuff on the ship was.

"...And there was this thing with a handle! I don't know what it was, but I want it. And I found this!" With a flourish, Luffy revealed that the thing in his hand was a map. It was old and yellowed, but the pirates could still make out the picture of the almost-skull-like island and the name "Skypia" written in fancy writing in the bottom right-hand corner.

"Ms. Navigator," Robin commented, reminded of something my seeing the map. "When did you last check the Log Pose?"

"I haven't checked it since I woke up this morning. I- Ahh!" Nami screamed after glancing at the pose. "The Log Pose is broken!"

"What?!" the rest of the crew cried.

"It's pointing straight up!"

"It's not broken," Robin waved off. "It has just registered Sky Island."

"That sounds fun!" Luffy yelled. "Let's go there!"

"Impossible!" Nami denied. "This may be the Grand Line, but there's no way there are islands in the sky."

"There must be," Robin countered. "When on the sea, the only thing you can trust in is the Log Pose."

"Even if it does exist," Nami argued, "how are we supposed to get there?"

"I don't know," Robin conceded. "Maybe we can learn something from that ship."

"Yeah!" Luffy agreed. "Salvage that ship!"

* * *

"This is Zoro," the swordsman's voice said from the tubes.

"This is Sanji, checking in."

"This is Luffy. There are a lot of monsters down here." The Monster Trio had descended into the water with the use of some barrel suits Luffy had Usopp rig up, Luffy's covering his whole body to protect him from the sea. Each of them were connected to the ship by a breathing tube which doubled as a communication method. The three continued to descend, nearing the sunken ship.

"Salvage~!" several off-key voices sang, accompanied by drums and cymbals. "Salvage the sea~!" A boat appeared on the horizon, the lower deck a literal jungle. Standing on the bow, over the decorative full-body monkey figurehead with cymbals, was a man that looked like a monkey. He was dressed in burnt-orange overalls with MASIRA written in a yellow box on his chest.

"Halt!" he ordered, the ship slowing immediately after. "Is this where that ship sank?"

"Yes, sir!" the men answered.

"Then get the first dive team down there right away!" The monkey-man turned, finally noticing the much smaller ship bobbing in the water. "Who are you? Are you trying to steal my salvage?"

"U-Us?" Nami stuttered. "We're nobodies! And we aren't trying to steal anything! That ship that fell almost crushed us! We were curious is all."

"So you're not here to salvage that ship?"

"No, sir!" the woman lied. "But who are you?"

"You don't know who I am?" Monkey-Man gasped. "I'm Masira, the Salvage King! Every ship that goes down in this area belongs to me!"

"Hey, Nami!" Luffy's voice called through the speakers. "We've got everything and are ready to come up!" The navigator quickly muffled it, hoping that the other captain hadn't heard.

"Now that I think about it, why are you guys still here?" Masira questioned

"We just want to see how the professionals salvage a ship!" The orange-haired girl kept her hand over the speaker as she sent a glance at the rest of the crew. Coby and Robin picked up on her silent plea and took it upon themselves to distract Masira by getting him to boast of his own accomplishments.

"Luffy," she whispered into the horn, hoping he could hear her. "You gotta be quiet. We've got company up here."

"Oh," the rubber-man whispered back. "Are those the guys we just beat up?"

"Sir!" one of Masira's men reported. "The men we sent down have returned heavily wounded and unconscious!"

"What happened to them?" Masira demanded, his attention being torn away from the Going Merry and her crew.

"We aren't sure," the crewman answered. "But we did find evidence of a nest of sea-snakes below us."

"Damn. Get the cleaning team down there and wipe them out!"

"Yes, Sir!" A few minutes later, a group of men jumped into the water from the salvaging ship, this time armed with weapons for hunting.

"Hey, Nami," Luffy whispered through the speaker. "We found a little bit more. We're coming back up."

"Not so fast," she warned. "There are some guys clearing out those snakes you mentioned earlier."

"Ugh. Fine." Several more minutes passed, those above the water making idle chit-chat to pass the time. Finally, the squad Masira had sent down returned, carrying the bodies of a multitude of giant sea-snakes. Usopp gave the Monster Trio the go-ahead to surface and they returned while the other crew was hoisting their catch into their boat. They'd each come up with a large bag, but there was nothing of value in any of it. The only interesting things were a broken wooden thing with a handle and some empty chests for organizing the treasure in their hold. The ape-man didn't even notice their return; he was too focused on trying to show off.

Masira's salvage when off without a hitch, minus the fact that a giant turtle ate the ship as they were hoisting it to the surface. There was nothing worth salvaging in it, but Masira didn't know that. Either way, he and Luffy became fast friends and he invited the Straw Hats to follow him to the next island: Jaya.

But, just as it seemed things were looking up, all the light in the surrounding area vanished. Clouds covered the sky, leaving nothing but a dark afterthought of the what the day had been. The turtle with the ship in its maw beat a hasty retreat. The crews of the two ships could only stare in horror as silhouettes fading into view from the edges of their vision.

Everyone screamed. There, on the bleak horizon, were what seemed to be five gigantic humanoids with small wings, each wielding a spear. As they watched, the figure in the middle raised its weapon, preparing to stab them. Every man grabbed an oar and paddled as if their lives depended on it, rocketing the Merry toward the only bit of light in the distance.

* * *

Jaya was an island of pirates. Much like Hannibal, where the Dead End Pirate Race was held every few years, Mock Town was almost completely inhabited by pirates. Finding the island had been relatively easy since Robin had used her powers to steal an eternal pose to Jaya from Masira's ship in case the "King of Salvage" noticed that they had looted the ship before him and attacked. Leaving the ship were Luffy, Nami, Gin, Coby, and Amy. Everyone else, minus Zoro and Robin, were staying behind while the archeologist was going out to learn the history of the island and the swordsman had been ordered to be her bodyguard.

The group of five wandered through the town, careful as to not cause trouble lest Nami tear them a new one. She'd even gone so far as to make Luffy and the others promise not to fight anyone. Eventually, they made their way to a hotel that looked like it belonged in a capital city rather than the pirate-infested Mock Town.

"This place is really fancy," Coby awed.

"I wouldn't mind staying here for a couple of days," Gin agreed. Around a corner came a very shaky man who wobbled over to them.

"I-I-I'm sor-ry," the man stuttered through his shaking, "b-but I'm g-g-going t-to have t-to ask y-you to l-l-leave."

"Why?" Nami demanded.

"Th-this ent-tire hotel w-was ren-rented b-by Bel-Bel-Bellamy the Hy-Hyena f-for hims-self a-and his c-crew. I-if he s-saw you h-here, he-he'd s-s-separate my h-head fro-from my b-body. So p-please leave, f-for my s-sake."

Well, that explained the shaking.

"What is going on here?" a new voice asked. The pirates and proprietor turned to the entrance to see a silver-haired man with a purple visor stroll in with his arm around a dirty-blonde. The newcomer wore a pair of dark pants and a fur-lined coat which he left open to show off his muscular torso and the tattoo thereupon, a smiley face with a diagonal slash.

"M-M-M-Mr. Sarkies, Sir," the hotel owner sputtered. "I t-told them to g-get out, b-but they w-wouldn't listen."

"Here," the man smiled, tossing a handful of Beris to the ground in front of Luffy. "Leave and get yourself something better than those rags you're wearing. I can't stand the sight of them."

"Oh, Dear," the woman on his arm sighed. "You're wasting your money on rabble like this."

"They're rabble; they need all the charity they can get!" Sarkies responded, him and the woman laughing at his words.

"No worries," Gin stated, only his crewmates hearing the anger in his tone. This man reminded him of Krieg in the way he spoke. "We were just leaving."

"Pahahaha!" they heard the man, Sarkies, laugh as they left. "What a bunch of weaklings!"

"What an ass," Coby muttered, the other silently agreeing. Annoyed, the band of pirates stepped back into Mock Town.

 **End of Chapter 49**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	50. Worthless Dreams?

**Chapter 50:**

 **Worthless Dreams?**

Bars were a good place to get information. Plus, they could be found in every village with any form of economy. Thus, Luffy, Nami, Coby, Gin, and Amy found themselves inside of one of the many situated in Mock Town. The bar was an average place with no name, only a crudely painted sign reading "BAR, and pies" hanging over the door. Nevertheless, the place was nearly full, pirates of all shapes and sizes laughing together at each table.

"This whole trip has been pointless!" Nami complained, an empty glass sitting on front of her. Luffy sat to her right, his second mug of whatever he was drinking empty as well. The other three were stretched out on the navigator's left, their own various drinks sitting before them. "This town is filled with nothing but arrogant or stupid pirates."

"I'm sorry about that," the bartender apologized, replacing her empty drink with another. "This town's only real economy is from pirates, so level-headed people like yourself are hard to come by. Here. This one's on the house." The man shuffled away, only stopping to place a cherry pie in front of Luffy and another in front of the large man to the teen's right. He then moved backwards to start cleaning dishes.

The man next to Luffy was the personification of the pirate stereotype, the only thing missing being a parrot on his shoulder. The man was missing several teeth and those that he had were grey. Black, curly hair tumbled to his shoulders from his captain's hat and his brown eyes showed that he loved life. His dirty clothes consisted of a torn white shirt that showed his hairy chest and stretched at his gut, black pants held up with a belt, and black boots sized to his extra-large feet.

"Hey, Bartender!" both Luffy and the large man yelled, the younger with a disgusted look on his face. "This pie is the worst/best pie I've ever had!" The two stared at each other, lighting all but clashing from their glares before Nami yanked on Luffy's ear and the man behind the counter sighed.

"I don't work in the kitchen, so I really don't care what you think of the food. Now break it up. The most important rule in here is no fighting." Luffy grumbled as the man ordered a whopping 50 pies, paid, and left.

As he made his exit, another man strode in with his crew behind him. He was a tall man with a deep tan and medium-length blond hair. Cream-colored pants and dark shoes covered his lower body while his upper had a pink shirt and a blue captain's coat draped over his shoulders. His black eyes scanned the bar as he spoke, getting the attention of everyone there.

"I'm looking for a pirate who wears a straw hat!" Whispers broke out, eyes shifting from the man at the door and Luffy at the counter.

"That's Bellamy the Hyena."

"He's got a 55 million Beri bounty."

"They say he's faster than any other man alive."

"He's the man who killed Roshio the Executioner earlier."

Bellamy cared not for the whispers as he stepped forward, the rest of his crew entering behind him and forcing several pirates to abandon their seats. Their leader, however, made his way to the recently-vacated seat next to Luffy and sat down, eyeing the teen.

"So you're the kid with a 30-million bounty," he stated.

"Nope," Luffy denied. "I've got a 100-million Beri bounty." A laugh tore from the throats of Bellamy and his crew, the other patrons of the bar soon following in their example.

"That's a good one, kid," the man chuckled. "Bartender, get me a bottle from the top shelf and one of whatever this guy wants."

"No thanks," Luffy declined, "but if you could tell me anything you know about how to get to Sky Island, that'd be great." Bellamy twisted around in his seat and grabbed the back of Luffy's head before slamming his face into the counter, smashing the wood into kindling.

"Luffy!" Nami yelled, kneeling beside the rubber captain. Her cry was lost in the laughter of Bellamy's men.

"What do you think you're doing?" Bellamy questioned, eyeing the sword at his throat and the tonfa at his head.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," Gin responded, him and Coby having their respective weapons pointed at the man who dared to the attack their captain.

"Listen up," Bellamy stated, bringing up his arm and batting away the Straw Hat weapons with a clang of metal on metal, "if your captain had passed my test, I'd have let you all join my crew, but I don't have room for daydreaming fools like you guys. Hundreds of people set out to sea, dreaming of cities of gold, or islands in the sky, or the great One Piece." He spread his arms, raising his voice. "There's a new era coming! One where those stupid dreamers are no more! The City of Gold is gone! There are no islands in the sky! And the fabled One Piece is fake! The sooner you accept that, the better your life will be."

"Then how do you explain ships falling out of the sky?" Amy demanded. "We were almost crushed by one on the way here. Explain it."

"I guess you don't know about the knockup stream, do you?" Bellamy answered with a sneer. "A natural occurrence that blasts anything caught in it impossibly high. Years ago, sailors saw boats falling from the sky and made up fantasies about an island in the clouds. They didn't know about the knockup stream, but we do. What do you think of _that_?!" The blond threw the rest of his drink down, the glass shattering next to Luffy's head and the remaining liquid covering his face. This spurred the rest of the bar to throw their own drinks at the fallen teen.

"I take back what I said about being passive," Nami told her captain. "Fight them."

"Guys," Luffy muttered, picking up his hat and dropping it on Nami's head. "Whatever they do, don't fight back. The bar's rules say no fighting. And we promised we wouldn't."

"But-" Gin was about to protest before stopping himself. He lowered his tonfa. "Yes, Don." Coby was slower, but he, too, relaxed his weapons and put them away.

Apparently, the other patrons didn't see their determination for what is was. While they stayed away from Nami and Amy, Luffy, Gin, and Coby were all fair game. They were all but passed around as the pirates used them as their personal punching bags. By the end of the one-sided fight, all three men were covered in scratches of all shapes and sizes and Coby and Gin were sporting very prominent bruises across their faces and arms. Their clothes were torn, but, luckily, all of their pants were intact. It seemed outside of life-or-death situations, even when no one cared about decency, pirates still avoided the lowest of blows.

Luffy was covered in his own blood by the time he fought back.

The captain was in a worse state than either of his companions. Crimson liquid dripped from cuts along his arms, legs, and head from where Bellamy had smashed him into a window, shattering the glass. Nami ran to him as he laid on the floor.

"Luffy!" Nami dropped beside him, checking for any permanent injuries. Laughter continued to ring throughout the bar.

"Hey, girl," Sarkies called, his eyes locking with Nami's anger-filled orbs. "You seem like a pretty sensible chick. Why don't you let me buy you? Come with us. You'll just get left behind if you stick around with these clowns."

"What did you say?" Luffy questioned from the floor, only tilting his head enough to see the man.

"I wasn't talking to you," Sarkies snapped. "I was talking to the babe." Luffy stood and placed himself before Nami.

"Hey, Bartender," the rubber-man said emotionlessly, cracking his knuckles. "Sorry about this." Luffy reared his arm back, causing Bellamy and his crew to laugh. What did this kid think he was doing, punching the air? They were in for a shock when Luffy's arm didn't stop at an arm's length.

Luffy's fist met Sarkies' face with the sound of a breaking nose. He slumped backwards over the counter, barely conscious. Even if Sarkies didn't, the rest of Bellamy's crew heard the words that came out of Luffy's mouth next.

"You can insult my dreams. You can beat me and call me stupid. You can knock me down and spit on me. But no one, and I mean _no one_ , talks to Nami like that in front of me and gets away with it!" Punches rained down on Sarkies, leaving him as a black-and-blue mess.

"You bastard!" Bellamy growled, his legs morphing into springs. "Spring-!"

"I wouldn't do that is I were you," Coby warned, suddenly behind the blond pirate captain, his Sabaku no Kiba blades crossed in front of the spring-man's neck. "My teacher taught me to always keep my swords sharp. If you jump, I can promise you that your neck would give out first."

"You no-name brat!" Bellamy spat.

"Let him go, Coby," Luffy ordered. "We're leaving." The teen turned toward the door, throwing some money over his shoulder to the bartender to help pay for the damages. Coby waited until Gin was next to Luffy before he released their opponent.

Bellamy jumped as soon as he was free, kicking both legs into Coby's solar plexus and rocketing toward Luffy, Nami, and Gin while throwing the rosette into and through the bar. The Man-Demon spun, one tonfa meeting the Hyena's face mid-flight, redirecting him into an uncontrolled spiral that crashed into a side wall.

"Tch," Gin grunted. "Bastard." He tucked his tonfa away and walked back across the bar, offering the dazed Zoan a hand out of the wreckage of the bar. Coby, now dripping with spirits, accepted the hand and rubbed his sore back. Favoring his right leg, Coby limped to the doorway with Gin following.

"Hey, Gin?" Coby asked. "Why didn't the rest of his crew intervene?"

"Because of me," Amy answered, her yellow umbrella now having some small spots of red. "It wasn't too hard. They were too busy watching their captain have his ass handed to them to notice me until it was too late. Kyahahaha!"

As one, the group of five exited the silent bar. Outside, they found the black-haired man who had ordered the pies, eating them in the street and laughing.

"Do you have something to add?" Gin growled.

"ZEHAHAHA! Yeah, I do. You all, I heard everything that happened in there. You'd have won that fight without throwing a punch. A new era is coming? Bullshit!" He raised his hands. "The age when pirates dream will never die! ZEHAHAHAHA!"

The pirates walked away, their spirits slightly lifted and the man's jolly laughter in their ears.

"It's a perfect day for a bottle of rum! ZEHAHAHA!"

* * *

"What the Hell happened to you guys?"

Those were the first words out of Usopp's mouth upon seeing the state of the three men approaching the Merry. Coby was still limping and Gin's clothes would need a lot of cleaning.

"Luffy decided he didn't want to fight when some loud-mouthed asshole badmouthed his dream and these two waited until Luffy finally fought back," Nami answered. She was still slightly miffed at the fact that Luffy hadn't retaliated until Sarkies made a pass at her. Thinking about that made her cheeks light up. Luffy was willing to go to blows for her when he'd held back while Bellamy spat on his dreams. What did that say about her boyfriend? "And Luffy, you should have let me handle that asshole back there."

"Sorry?" Luffy shrugged. "Did you expect me not to say anything?"

"What's going on?" Chopper questioned, walking over to the railing to join the conversation. "What the Hell?! What happened to you guys?!" The little reindeer ran back to grab his medical bag before jumping to the dock to treat the men. Coby ended up going first as Gin insisted that he was fine and climbed onto the Merry while Luffy insisted that, as captain, he should go last.

Chopper was in the finishing stages of patching up his captain when Zoro and Robin returned, the annoyed swordsman loaded down by multiple shopping bags. Apparently, Robin had convinced him that it was some sort of strength training and that it was the reason Nami could hit so hard. Robin climbed aboard the ship first before using her powers to relieve Zoro of the bags one at a time.

As that was happening, the archeologist moved over to Nami and handed her a rolled-up paper with a smile. The navigator opened the paper to show that it was a map of Jaya, showing that the island looked like the mouth of a skull that was connected on the right side. Near the top of the map, on the opposite side of the island from Mock Town, was a red X.

"Hey, Robin," Luffy greeted as Chopper placed a Band-Aid under his left eye, opposite his scar. "How was your day?"

"Quite enlightening," the woman answered. "I spent the day looking for information on Sky Island, but I didn't find much. I did, however, hear tell of a man who may know how to get us there. His name is Montblanc Cricket, and he lives on the other side of the island. Apparently, he was banned from the town because he talked about his dreams too much."

"Sounds like we know our next destination," Luffy smiled. "Everyone, set sail! Let's go find this Cricket guy!"

 **End of Chapter 50**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	51. Of Crickets and Birds

**And as of last chapter, this story now has over 300 Follows and, if I'm correct, this chapter should bring it up to 300 Reviews as well! What a milestone! I want to thank every one of you delightful readers for sticking it out this far.**

 **300 before actually reaching Skypia... I don't know if that's above, below, or at average for stories that make it this far, but while I'm thinking about it, I feel that a few reminders are in order.**

 **1) I do not own One Piece and I never will, no matter how many times I put it on my wish list.**

 **2) I had past Enies Lobby written _before_ posting the first chapter, so updates will not slow down or stop within Skypia like many other stories do.**

 **3) I am almost done with Thriller Bark and making decent progress. Still, any suggestions for Omakes you would like to see are both welcome and encouraged.**

* * *

 **Chapter 51:**

 **Of Crickets and Birds**

Montblonc Cricket was a tall man with a very muscular form. Blond sideburns poked out on either side of his head and the rest of his hair was fashioned into the shape of a chestnut. His muscular torso was bare to the world and long maroon pants were held around his waist by a red belt. Currently, he was unconscious, Chopper treating him for a medical condition.

When the Straw Hat Pirates had arrived to his home, they'd thought that he lived in a castle, but it turned out to be a painted cardboard cutout fastened to half a house on the very edge of the island. Cricket was nowhere to be found, but Amy discovered an old children's picture book sitting on a stump near the man's home. Its title read "Noland the Liar". Nami sat down on the stump with Luffy at her side and read the book aloud to whoever wanted to listen.

The story told of a man from the North Blue by the name of Montblanc Noland who explored the world before returning to tell his home kingdom of his many adventures. One day, after returning from another trip, Noland went to the king and told him of a city of gold that he'd found and the king set out to retrieve it, but when Noland, the king, and the 100 soldiers that survived reached the island, they found nothing. Angered by this, the king sentenced Noland to death. The final page, which had a painted picture of Noland with a dopey grin on his face, said "and Noland's final words were 'I can only assume that the city of gold sank into the sea'. Thus, Noland's death sentence was carried out and he died in shame and ridicule."

"...Well that was depressing," Coby finally got out.

"I knew I'd heard that story somewhere," Sanji said. "I heard it all the time when I was a kid. I was born in the North Blue, after all."

"Really?" Chopper asked.

"Well, yeah. Didn't I mention that at some point?"

"No, you didn't," Usopp answered. "I always assumed you were born in the East."

"Nope. I was just raised there."

"What are you people doing in my yard?" an angry voice questioned. The group turned to see the man known as Cricket, dripping with seawater and holding a gun. Robin stepped forward.

"Are you Montblanc Cricket?" she asked.

"So what if I am?"

"Hey!" Luffy yelled, running toward the man who shot at him. The bullets did nothing, stretching his skin before being redirected outward.

"What are you?" Cricket demanded, dropping his gun after realizing that it wouldn't help him. Luffy stopped just short of Cricket's range.

"Can you tell us how to get to Sky Island?"

"...What?" The look of surprise on Cricket's face was enough to tell the pirates that the man had been expecting something completely different.

"I saaaaaaid," Luffy stretched out, "can you tell us how to get to Sky Island?" Cricket was quiet for several moments, wondering if he had heard wrong twice in a row. Finally, he laughed, a rich, hearty sound escaping his mouth for a while. Unfortunately, his laughter ended in a coughing fit that left the muscular man on the ground and the pirates in a state of panic.

Cricket was moved into his house and Chopper set to work. It turned out that the man had what was commonly known to divers as The Bends, a condition caused by rising from deep water too fast. The sudden change in pressure and heat causes the nitrogen bubbles in the blood to expand, cutting off blood flow to the point where severe cases could be fatal (this is true). Luckily, Cricket had one of the best pirate doctors to help him.

Before Cricket could wake up, however, the door to his home was all but broken down by the entrance of two brothers. One, the younger, was Masira while the other was his older brother, Shoujou. Shoujou was a man who just outclassed Masira in height and far outclassed him in weight. He had hair the same shade as Zoro's, but where the swordsman kept his cut, the orangutan-like human had never cut his own, leaving it to brush against the floor. A green captain's hat sat on his head and he wore a red captain's coat, the sleeves being used for once in the universe.

"What are you doing to the Old Man?!" they demanded in unison.

"AH! Monsters!" Usopp and Chopper screamed.

"He's got a mystery disease," Luffy answered. "We're helping. Now go bug someone else."

"Don't antagonize them, Luffy!" Usopp fretted.

"Thank you, guys," the brothers cried, surprising the pirates.

As it turned out, Masira, Shoujou, and Cricket were in what the brothers called the Saruyama Alliance of Jaya. They and Luffy talked to each other for a long time, waiting for Montblanc Cricket to wake up. Finally, after what felt like forever to the young pirate captain, Coby was sent out by Chopper to tell the trio that the man was awake. Luffy and the monkey-like brothers rushed into the half-house where they found Cricket sitting up in his bed.

"Hey, Chestnut-Guy," Luffy smiled. "You're not dead."

"That I'm not," Cricket affirmed. "And it's all thanks to your doctor, here."

"You saying that doesn't make me happy, you jerk~!" Chopper sang.

"So, Chestnut-Guy," Luffy continued. "What do you know about getting to Sky Island?"

"You're trying to get to Sky Island?" Shoujou questioned. No one answered; all eyes were on Cricket as he thought.

"There's only one man who I believe could have gone to Sky Island," he finally answered, "but most people believe him to be nothing but a liar." Luffy's jaw dropped as he turned to stare at Usopp.

"What are you looking at?" the sniper demanded.

"I think he meant Montblanc Noland, Captain Luffy," Coby suggested.

"Now that I think about it," Nami wondered aloud, "both Noland and you have the same family name. Are you two related?"

"We are," Cricket answered with a voice full of contempt. "He was my grandfather's grandfather's grandfather, but we're so far related that I doubt I have even a drop of his blood in my veins."

"It must be cool to be related to such a famous figure," Usopp thought aloud before Cricket shot at him. The bullet punched a hole in the cardboard over the frozen sniper's head. Cricket gave no heed to the gun pointed at him from Gin's steady hand in response.

"You don't know what it was like, growing up with the Montblanc name," Cricket growled, dropping his gun. "The Montblanc family was banished from the North Blue with laughter and scorn and we've tried to fly under the radar ever since. Dozens of my relatives have set out to prove Noland correct, but all of them vanished."

"Is that what you're doing?" Amy questioned. "Are you trying to prove your ancestor wasn't a liar."

"Not at all," Cricket denied. "The actions of my ancestor have nothing to do with me. Years ago I wanted nothing to do with the Montblanc name or the scorn that came with it. I set out on my own adventure to escape Noland's shadow. I even assembled my own pirate crew. And then, one day, we came across Jaya. It was purely by accident, but for some reason, it felt like fate."

"Hold on," Nami ordered. "Are you saying that Jaya and the island from the story..."

"Are one and the same, yes. My crew... they left me behind. Fate had placed me on this island and I could not resist. I stayed for reasons that are purely my own."

"Are you done yet?" Luffy asked, balling his fist into the hem of his shirt to resist picking his nose. It was a bad habit, or so he'd been told. "I really don't care about your life story. I just want to know if you can help us get to Sky Island."

"Here," Cricket answered, handing an old book to Nami. It was Noland's logbook, the thing well over 200 years old. Why Cricket had it if he claimed to not wish to be connected with his ancestor was a mystery, but rather than question it, Nami opened to the page Cricket told her to and read. The book told of a meeting with some merchants who claimed to have gone to the Sky Island and the description of a wooden contraption that generated its own wind. The words all but confirmed the existence of Sky Island.

"But wait," Usopp said. "None of that explains the monkey-men here who are helping you."

"Oh, them?" Cricket blinked. "They're just fans of the story is all."

"What?!"

* * *

The Straw Hats spent the rest of the day listening to Cricket as he told them everything he knew about the knockup stream. Apparently, it was a natural occurrence that happens when, theoretically, steam is built up in underwater air pockets until the pressure causes an explosion powerful enough to "connect the sea and the sky" for a whole minute. And, coincidentally, the knockup stream and the cloud Sky Island was said to dwell on, the Cumuloregalis cloud, were going to line up the next day at noon.

That night, the Straw Hats and the Saruyama Alliance partied. Booze was passed around, nearly everyone getting at least a little tipsy. Nami ended up dragging Luffy into a corner and started making out with him in front of everyone, causing Sanji to wail at how unfair life was. Grace, as it turned out, was a lightweight, the one big mug she downed behind her sister's back being enough to send her into a fit of giggles. She spent most of the night falling on Coby, trying to get his attention, while the pink-haired pirate didn't seem to understand why he was the only one that ended up on the floor with a giggling Grace on top.

Amy noticed none of this. She was a flirty drunk and enjoyed leading the single men on, flirting with each until crushing any hopes they may have had. Sanji was her favorite target, but Gin seemed to take it as a challenge and started trying to out-flirt her, dodging Sanji's kicks the whole time.

Finally, Cricket decided to show off the gold he and the Monkey Brothers had found while on a dive several months ago, three small golden bells and a golden bird. The bird, he explained, was called a Southbird and that, no matter what, their beaks always pointed south. Then he came to the realization that the Straw Hats would need a Southbird to direct them to where the knock-up stream would be as the log pose couldn't help. Grace, Amy, Nami, and Usopp chose to stay behind while everyone else went into the forest at midnight only to be harassed by the bird they were looking for. Meanwhile Cricket, Masira, Shoujou, the sisters, and Usopp got to work patching up the Going Merry and getting her ready for flight and Nami began her weather calculations, breaking down how the knockup stream worked like she had for Reverse Mountain.

The group in the woods splintered into three, them only having three nets. Zoro and Coby followed Robin, Sanji and Gin backtracked, and Luffy and Chopper forged ahead. Unfortunately for them, the Southbirds were determined to protect the forest from the human race and attacked them with nature, most of the attacks being aimed at the captain and the doctor.

On the shore, just as the people there were preparing to get to work, a new ship sailed around the coast and pulled up by the house. Bellamy and his crew jumped down, greedy smirks plastered on their faces. Their spirits had rebounded from the bar fight earlier in the day and they were ready to plunder once more.

"I am Bellamy the Hyena!" the captain declared with a small bandage on his cheek, throwing his coat away. "You're Montblac Cricket, correct?"

"What's it to you?" Cricket questioned. He, Masira, and Shoujou were the only ones outside. Usopp had gone into the house where Nami was to look for some tools he didn't have and the sisters were on the Merry.

"I heard that you found some gold. I'm here to take it!" He turned to scan the surroundings, glancing at Cricket's home and the Straw Hats' ship. "And while we're at it, I think we'll take everything of value on that ship, too!" Without any more ado, Bellamy's subordinates attacked, a dozen or so heading toward the Going Merry. The Saruyama Alliance held them off well enough, but it went downhill for them when the Hyena got involved. He used his Spring-Spring Fruit powers to jump around, knocking out both of the Monkey Brothers, the older being sent through Cricket's house and into the sea.

"What the Hell was that?" Usopp gasped as Shoujou crashed through the house, just missing him before smashing through the fake side and into the sea.

"Usopp," Amy hissed, appearing in the hole Shoujou had left via her Devil Fruit powers. "Nami. We've got a problem."

"What is it?" Nami questioned.

"That asshole from the bar is back. Some of his men tried to raid the Merry, but Grace was more than enough for them. Anyway, I need your help. It's time to teach this spring-headed dickweasel that you don't mess with the Straw Hat Pirates." By the time Bellamy's treasurer entered Cricket's house to steal his gold, the only sign of Usopp and Nami having been there was their shoes hidden in the corner.

Amy's plan was stupid and risky, but that just about summed up every plan of Luffy's crew. Rising just a little further into the air and glad that her targets didn't think to look up, Amy took a deep breath and closed her parasol. She increased her mass.

The only warning the Bellamy Pirates had to the attack on their ship was the sound of Amy impacting with more force than any ship was made to bear. Her 10,000-Kilogram body ripped a large hole through every layer of the ship and busted the keel on the bottom in two. She sunk into the water underneath the ship, only conscious enough to see that Nami and Usopp had come to her rescue like she'd asked them to.

From his place on the ground, Cricket smiled. And from the trees came the rest of the young pirate crew.

* * *

(Earlier)

Coby had gotten separated from Zoro in a hostile forest. Again. Although this time it was of no fault to either of them; the Southbirds were directing the creatures of the forest in a deadly melody of attacks. The one that had separated Coby from Zoro and Robin was a crumbling cliff caused by what appeared to be giant worms with mouths. The dirt had shifted under the younger swordsman, taking him into the heavy foliage at an angle too steep to climb up or slide down in a controlled manner.

"Hey, Shrimp!" he heard his teacher call. "You ok?"

"I'm fine, Zoro-sensei!" Coby responded. "Don't worry about me! I'll look around down here!"

"If you say so!" Coby turned away from the incline and peered into the forest, his ears straining for the unique call of the Southbird. There was nothing, the area was eerily silent.

"Hello?" Coby called. "Are there any Southbirds out there? I just want to talk to you." Now, to most people, the idea of talking to wild animals was preposterous, but then again, so was being (roughly) half triceratops and trusting your health to a reindeer while sailing under the command of a man made of rubber. Maybe, just maybe, the Southbirds were smart enough to understand English, even if they couldn't speak it.

"GYOOOO!"

Coby jerked, his body spinning around and his hands coming up to rest on the hilts of his swords. The Southbird behind him jolted as well, jumping up in a cloud of feathers to sit on a branch outside of the range of the boy's weapon. The bird's plumage was mostly a light violet, its underside covered in overlapping green feathers. Its head, which had two yellow projections coming up, a fish-tail-like back, and an overly-large, mostly-yellow beak, was cocked at an angle pointing off past Coby's right, leading the Zoan to believe he was facing Northeast at that moment.

"I'm sorry," Coby apologized respectively as his hands dropped. "You startled me. And most things that startle me try to kill me."

"GYOOOO!"

"Can you understand me?"

"GYOOOO!"

"I'll take that as a yes," Coby commented. "Listen. I don't know why you and your friends are attacking us, but we don't mean you any harm. We, as in my crew, are getting ready to try to sail to an island in the sky, but the only way there is directly south of here and we'll get lost if we don't have any way of finding our direction. Does that make sense?"

"GYOOOO!"

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"GYOOOO!" This time, the bird nodded.

"It would be really helpful if one of you could help us at least get there," Coby continued. "You don't have to come with us all the way up, if you don't want to. What I can promise you, though, is whichever one of you does come with us, I can have our cook make whatever snacks they want until they leave." Coby finished his sales pitch, hoping the food bribe would get at least one of the birds to join them.

The Southbird he was talking to didn't even confer with the rest of its kind before making a decision. The ever-southward-facing animal flew down to the boy and came to rest on his shoulder. Then, it let out one loud, long call. Coby hoped that was an order to stop attacking his crewmates.

Lifting his wrist, Coby opened the shell there, awakening his baby den-den.

"Hello?" the other groups and Grace answered in a garbled myriad of the same word.

"I've got one, guys," Coby told the snail. "Let's meet back at Cricket's house."

"We're going to Sky Island~!" Luffy sang before everyone hung up. Carefully, so as not to anger the bird on his shoulder, Coby climbed a tree in need of a visual of his destination. Spotting the right direction, Coby took off.

 **End of Chapter 51**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	52. Knockup Stream and White White Sea

**Chapter 52:**

 **The Knockup Stream and the White White Sea**

"What's going on here?" Gin demanded, the same question burning in the minds of Luffy, Zoro, Coby, Sanji, Chopper, and Robin. They had all exited the forest at about the same time, the Southbird perched on Coby's shoulder. Oddly enough, Luffy had shed his shirt and was holding a Hercules beetle within it.

Before them was the shocked group of the Bellamy Pirates, said group split between staring at their sinking ship or staring at the pirates that had just exited the forest.

"Would you look at that," Bellamy stated, ignoring the waves from their sinking ship lapping at the shore in favor of locking eyes with the other captain. "It seems weaklings do band together."

"We were strong enough to beat you," Gin grumbled.

"Did you do this?" Luffy growled, gesturing at the downed forms of Cricket and the Monkey Brothers. Off to the right, Nami and Usopp surfaced with Amy draped between them.

"So what if I did?" Bellamy snarked.

"Then I'd have to kick your ass."

"We'll see about that! Spring... Sniper!" Bellamy's legs changed into springs which wound up before launching him toward the Straw Hats. Everyone had dropped into a fighting stance, but the action turned out to be unnecessary. With a single call, the Southbird summoned a swarm of giant praying manti that flew in over the pirates' heads. They swiped at Bellamy who was unable to dodge in midair, cutting at his clothes and his skin. Luffy then stepped out of the way, leaving the other captain to crash through two trees before colliding with a third.

"Captain!" Sarkies yelled. He rushed forward, intent on reaching his friend, but Zoro blocked his path. "Get out of my way!"

"I don't think so," Zoro replied, unshething Wado Ichimonji. "You beat up my captain and my student. I can't let you get away with that."

"Bring it on!" Sarkies challenged. He rushed forward with his curved blade, the weapon that provided his epithet of "Big Knife" Sarkies. Zoro blocked it effortlessly.

"Have you ever heard the name Roranoa Zoro before?"

"He's some 10-million Beri chump from the East Blue," Sarkies responded with some confusion. "I take it that's you?"

"I am. And you better remember my name because I'm going to be the world's best swordsman, so there's no shame in losing."

"Losing what?" Sarkies snapped, pulling back to slash at the green-haired swordsman. "I'm a man worth 38-million Beris! I won't lose to a stuck-up bastard like- "

With barely a move, Zoro shot past the other pirate before he could move and was slowly sheathing his sword. As soon as Wado Ichimonji clicked into place, the cut across Sarkies chest, right over the line of his tattoo, opened and he fell, unconscious.

The rest of Bellamy's crew shook with fear and anger. Their ship was sunk, their captain and first mate were down for the count without really any energy given from the other crew, and the Saruyama Alliance was getting back up. They were outmatched, outgunned, and had no real means of escape.

"Now give back whatever you took and get out of here," Luffy ordered. The bag containing Cricket's gold fell to the earth and the pirates bolted, only two going out of their way to grab Sarkies and Bellamy before they left.

"Shishishi," Luffy laughed as they faded from sight. "That was fun."

"Thank you," Cricket coughed. "And I see you got a Southbird. No clue how you managed that without tying it up, but whatever. We've got work to do if we want to make sure your ship can make it through the knockup stream.

"Then let's get to it," Luffy answered. "Skypia, here we come!"

* * *

"Hey, Captain Luffy?" Coby asked as he, his captain, and Grace watched almost everyone else working on the Merry. Luffy had been kicked out due to his inability to not break things, Coby had been the unfortunate victim when Usopp turned with a board, and Grace was just being lazy. She had forced Coby into his Dino Mode and was using him like a very big pillow.

"Yeah?" Luffy answered.

"I've been thinking-"

"That's dangerous," Grace quipped.

"I've been thinking," Coby began again, "Nami's hometown had been overrun by pirates who claimed it as their turf, right?"

"Yeah?" Luffy questioned "And?"

"What if the same thing happens to your village. Or what if Syrup Village is attacked and we aren't there to protect it?"

"Oh Goda, you're right! Do you have an idea for that?!"

"I think we should send flags to each of the islands or villages where we gained a crewmember. At least the defenseless ones. You know, claim them as our turf. You've become really infamous, after all, so our flag would ward off a lot of the small-time pirates in the East Blue."

"I like that idea," Luffy nodded. "...How many flags is that?"

"Well," Coby began, "there's your island, Gecko Island for Usopp, Cocoyashi for Nami, and Drum Island for Chopper. That's four. Are there any other places you want to add? "

"What about where I got you and Zoro?"

"Shells Town? It has a Marine base. We can't claim it. At least, not without storming it and kicking them all out."

"Then what about Alabasta?"

"I suppose we could send one to Vivi, but the political backlash might hurt the kingdom if she flies it."

"Five flags," Luffy finalized. "Fusha Village, Usopp's home, Cocoyashi Village, Chopper's island, and Alabasta."

Grace nudged Coby. "Paint. Go get it."

The dinosaur sighed. "Fine. I'll be back in a second."

Luckily, they had just enough time to run into town and send the flags Grace painted off with some Package Gulls, larger carrier birds related to the News Coos that always delivered the newspaper. The advertisements guaranteed five-day delivery.

* * *

The knockup stream was even more terrifying and exhilarating than Reverse Mountain had been.

By the time the Straw Hats and the Monkey Brothers left that morning, the Going Merry had been reinforced and outfitted with wings, a tail, and chicken decorations. The only one who hadn't been impressed was Zoro who claimed, "It looks stupid. Chickens don't know how to fly; we should have dressed it up like a pigeon".

Either way, the Merry arrived at the designated place with an hour to spare, which was a good thing since their estimates had been off. The knockup stream was about to happen. Much to Usopp's, Nami's, Amy's, Grace's, and Coby's dismay, the Merry sailed directly into the giant whirlpool that formed. The man from Mock Town with the black hair and his crew appeared, apparently wanting to claim the bounties on Luffy's, Zoro's, Gin's, and Coby's heads.

Before they could however, the knockup stream blasted the Merry upward and shattered the man's smaller raft. The Going Merry pitched at a near 90-degree angle and only survived through Nami's quick orders. They literally flew the last half of the way up the knockup stream and into the clouds.

Unfortunately, the Merry did not make it through the clouds unscathed. The thicker-than-average clouds managed to rip off most of the wings and tear the sail by the time the ship came to rest on a white sea. The crew were all lying on the deck, each weak in their own puddle of water.

"Did we have to come up that way?" Amy questioned hotly, hugging Grace close. "I'm sure there had to be another way."

"Come on, guys," Luffy snickered. "That was fun!"

"No it wasn't!" Coby, Usopp, Chopper, and Nami yelled.

"Have you all even looked at where we are?" Zoro questioned, pointing out over the ship's railing. The crew gasped; the ship was sailing over a sea of clouds.

"But... but," Nami gaped. "This shouldn't be possible!"

"Nothing is impossible, Ms. Navigator," Robin chuckled. "What does the log pose say?"

"It's still pointing up," Nami answered with a frown.

"Does that mean we still need to go up?" Coby asked. "The air is too thin already."

"AHHH!" Chopper screamed. The binoculars he'd been using to scan the horizon fell to the deck. "There's a crazy guy blowing up ships! He's heading this way!"

"I thought we were the only ones that came up," Amy muttered. Out of nowhere, a tan man in a grass kilt, a Tiki mask, and shoes with little shells on them blurred into view on the railing. His torso was left bare to show his six-pack and a bazooka rested on his shoulder. He fired.

Gin moved as fast as he could, which was slower than he was used to due to the thinner air 7,000 meters in the air. He just made it, his tonfa batting the cannonball the bazooka fired up past the mast to explode harmlessly. Tiki Guy grunted in displeasure before blurring out of focus, moving too quickly for the Straw Hats to react. Gin, Zoro, Luffy, Sanji, and Coby were thrown off their feet, each of them having either pulled out their weapons or falling into a fighting stance, and the man reappeared in the air, his weapon reloaded.

"PIIYAAAY!" a bird called. A man in a full suit of armor appeared out of nowhere, his spear catching Tiki Guy in the stomach and launching him into the clouds. Armor Guy fell to the upper deck by Nami's tangerine orchard and a large, pink bird with brown spots landed next to him. Only the white beard that fell down to his legs was not covered by his armor.

"So cool!" Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper gasped.

"I am the Sky Knight," the man said gruffly. "I take it you travelers are from the Blue Sea, yes?"

"What do you mean?" Amy asked as the men pulled themselves up.

"We of the White Sea and the White White Sea call those who are not from the clouds Blue Sea Dwellers. That is where you are from, correct?"

"Yes, it is," Robin nodded.

"As I thought. You travelers must be careful for you may encounter other guerrilla warriors who would like nothing more than to make you food for the skyfish. Of course, you could always buy an emergency whistle from me for only a million Extol and I would protect you then. I am a soldier for hire, after all."

"How much is an Extol?" Nami questioned.

"Thanks, but no thanks," Luffy answered the man. "I'm getting used to the air already."

"You can't have adjusted that quickly!" the Sky Knight cried. "Wait, why are you only adjusting now? And why do you not know of Extols? You should have been able to exchange money back on one of the earlier islands."

"There were others islands?" Gin growled as Nami started shaking Luffy for making them ride the knockup stream. "That means there was another way to get here!"

"Don't tell me you Blue Sea Dwellers actually road up on _that_ stream! To think that there are people still willing to do that... Did all of you make it?"

"All of us are here," Robin nodded.

"Then your risk was worth it. If you had taken the other route, maybe one or two of you would have arrived alive. Not many people take the knockup stream anymore since it is an all-or-nothing gamble; either everyone lives, or everyone dies. Here." The man dropped a whistle on the deck of the ship. "For your bravery, I will bestow upon you this emergency whistle. If you blow it, I will come to your aid. But be warned, it has one use before I take it back."

"Before you go," Coby stopped him, "could you please direct us toward Skypia?"

"Tis that way," the man answered, pointing toward a cloud formation that looked like a waterfall. "Also, I am known as Gan Fall and this is my partner, Pierre. He is a bird that ate of a Horse-Horse Fruit." To show off, Pierre transformed into a pegasus which Gan Fall climbed onto. "Farewell, travelers!" Gan Fall called as he flew off.

"That was interesting," Sanji muttered, breaking the tension on the ship. The crew got to work, sailing the Merry toward the path they had been given. After battling skyfish Sea Kings and bouncing on what the crew dubbed cloudburgs, the Merry finally reached an entrance called Heaven's Gate. The lights on the gate would have made a certain _flashy_ captain very proud.

Inside, they met an old woman with wings. She was wearing a pink dress that covered nearly all of her short frame and had grey hair styled into two buns. Taking out a camera, she snapped a picture of every one of the Straw Hats before introducing herself as Amazon, the keeper of the gate.

"Are you here for sightseeing or plunder and conquest?" she asked nonchalantly, as if pirates came for plunder and conquest every other day.

"Sightseeing, I guess," Amy shrugged.

"Good to know. That will be one billion Extols for each of you for the entree fee."

"What if we don't have any Extols?" Coby asked. "Will Beris do?"

"Don't go giving away my money!" Nami scolded.

"One Beri is about 10,000 Extols," Amazon answered. "If you are paying in Beris, then that would be 10,000,000 Beris for each of you, so 110,000,000 Beris total."

"We could just hand over our shitty captain and Coby," Sanji suggested. "They're worth that much together."

"Hey!" the two wanted pirates yelled.

"I don't want to pay that much," Nami whined.

"Come on." Zoro rolled his eyes. "After raiding Gasparde's ship, taking the winnings from Partia, and all that stuff we took from the Rainbow Mist, we have more than enough in our hold to pay."

Sanji kicked at him in the side, launching the swordsman toward the bow. "If the woman doesn't want to pay, she doesn't have to!"

"You wanna go, Curly Brow?" Zoro roared, stomping back toward the cook.

"Bring it on, Shitty Swordsman!" Sanji responded, the two butting heads.

"Enough," Gin ordered, beating them both over the head with his tonfa. Meanwhile, Coby had convinced the navigator to part with _some_ of her wealth with the argument that, if the City of Gold was on Skypia like some of the rumors the Monkey Brothers had told them claimed, then they could pilfer it, but that was only if they had room in their hold and were able to get around unimpeded. Being criminals in Skypia would just make them have to run from the law. With a group effort, the needed amount in gold was piled next to the old woman. If she was surprised that they had that much gold in their hold, she didn't show it. Amazon waved her hand as two large claws latched onto the broken wings of the Merry.

"Skypia's famous Express Lobster will take you to the White White Sea," Amazon told them. "Please enjoy your stay."

And the lobster took off.

 **End of Chapter 52**

* * *

 **I'm not really satisfied with this chapter. It feels way too rushed to me, but so much of it is Canon that the presence of more members would not notably change. HOWEVER! I can promise you that some pretty big changes will be starting next chapter and hopefully at least some of them catch you off guard. Until then!**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	53. The Angel on the Beach

**Here we go! The first chapter within Skypia and one of many divergences to come. I hope this satisfies you all. There's some LuNa fluff, some sibling squabbling, and some Canon overview. I hope you all are ready for the butterflies!**

 **And holy cow! I topped out on Monday with 1.45K views in a single day! That's a record for me! Thank you all! And I put out a new summary for the story. What do y'all think? Is it better or worse than the one before?**

* * *

 **Chapter 53:**

 **The Angel on the Beach**

The first thing the pirates found upon entrance into Godland Skypia was an angel playing a harp upon a beach of clouds and before a small forest. The angel had blonde hair styled into two braids that ended in balls and two antenna-like tops that also ended in spheres. She was wearing a pink dress without sleeves and sandals on her feet. Two small wings, not even big enough to fly with, sprouted from her back. All in all, she reminded the earliest members of Usopp's girlfriend Kaya, just with wings and a different hairstyle.

"Heso," the angel greeted as the Merry pulled up, a white fox with an extended snout curling up around her feet. "Are you people from the Blue Sea World?"

"If that's what you call it," Luffy responded. Next to him, the only force keeping Sanji on the boat was Gin holding him back in a full-nelson. They had to make a good first impression _before_ releasing the perverted chef onto an island of angels, after all. "I'm Luffy, and this is my crew. We just sailed here up a trail of clouds."

"So you are from the Blue Sea. My name is Conis and this is my pet cloud-fox, Su. Welcome to Skypia."

"An angel has come to greet us!" Sanji yelled, finally throwing off his friend and noodling over the side of the ship. He knelt, a rose in hand. "For you, my dear, a flower of the world below to complement your beauty from above."

"That was surprisingly smooth," Amy complemented as the rest of the crew jumped into the shallow, surf-like clouds. The Canon crewmembers were wearing their Skypia outfits, but Coby, Gin, Grace, and Amy had changed for the occasion.

Coby was wearing a pair of green swim trunks in place of his usual pants, but his sandals were still in place. He'd also forgone the use of a shirt in preparation of a beach trip, so his torso, well-defined after the torture Zoro put him through, was open to the world. He was not topless, however, a thin, white beach shirt split down the front hung over his shoulder to frame his muscles, though Coby still used the sleeves. Finally, his ever-present swords were secured on his back.

Much like Coby, Gin was dressed for the beach. He was wearing red swim trunks, grey swim shoes, and a grey tank top. His regular jacket was currently replaced with a short-sleeved one that matched his swimwear, the red dragons of his old outfit were replaced with blue fish patterns along the boarders. His headband was still in place on his forehead.

Grace's clothing was rather reserved, the girl having limited herself to only five different colors. A navy blue one-piece was the center of her outfit, the upper part showing through a see-through, white cover-up. She also had on orange sport shorts and green sandals. Her finger and toe nails were each painted a different color, supplementing her usual rainbow-like ensemble, and the red cowboy hat Robin had bribed her with sat on her head. Her pallet was strapped to her hip.

Where her younger sister was reserved, Amy had no qualms with showing off her body. Copying Nami, Amy wore only a yellow bikini top on her upper body and a lemon-patterned towel rested on her shoulders like a scarf, leaving her almost-shoulder-length hair to flow, free of her usual hat. A pair of denim shorts only just covered what they needed to as the sat on her hips. She carried her parasol and a pair of beach sandals, leaving her feet bare at the moment, and her normal lemon earrings were replaced by a pair of lemonade ones, each in the shape of a pitcher. Finally, a pair of sunglasses hid her pale blue eyes.

"Tone it back, Romeo," Nami scolded, grabbing the chef's ear and tugging him away from the confused Skypian. "We still need a cook when we leave this island."

"But I never want to leave!" the chef protested.

With Nami keeping Sanji in check, the group talked with Conis for a while longer until her father crashed into the trees while trying to stop his waver, a small, boat-like vehicle with a long handle and two shells mounted on the side. After making sure he was ok, the man introduced himself as Pagaya. Pagaya was a man with a bushy, brown beard that hid his mouth and a bald head save for the same antenna-like hairstyle. He wore a brown robe with his small wings showing the same way Conis' were.

"What is this thing?" Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper admired, crowded around the man's one-person boat.

"Ah, that's a waver. It's a very difficult machine to drive. I'm been riding one for most of my life, but as you can see, I still can't get the stopping part right. I'm sorry about that."

"Is it really that hard?" Chopper asked as Luffy swiped the machine out from under Usopp's long nose and ran out into the surf with it.

"Yes, it is," Conis answered. "I only just recently got good enough to ride it, and I'm been learning how to for nearly seven years."

"That's a long time to learn how to drive one vessel," Coby commented. "I mean, I learned how to help sail a ship in three months, but... Captain Luffy!" Off in the distance, Luffy had finally lost his balance and tumbled off the waver, falling into the water-like clouds below.

"He'll be fine," Zoro tried to wave off. Luffy waved at them, losing his strength. "Although I may be wrong," Zoro shrugged off.

"Dammit," Coby cursed. "I can't swim anymore. Someone go get him!"

"Luffy!" Chopper yelled, diving into the water.

"Not you!"

"Morons," Nami sighed as she and Usopp dove in to get their captain and Zoro waded out to get the doctor.

"I don't get it," Luffy whined as they pulled him in. "It's not like I fell in the ocean. Why couldn't I swim?"

"I'm sorry, but do you have special powers, by any chance?" Pagaya asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"As I thought. Why don't you all join us for dinner? We can talk more then."

"Great! I'm starving!"

"You're always starving, Don Luffy," Gin chuckled.

"Alright, everyone," Luffy smiled. "We're going to get food! Hey, Nami... Where's Nami?"

"She's out on the waver," Robin told him. She pointed to where their navigator was out in the surf, handling the vehicle like a pro.

"Such skill," Conis gasped. "Are you sure this is her first time on a waver?"

The group nodded as Luffy cheered her on, hoping she would teach him how to ride it. Although, there was also an offer of food at the moment.

"Nami!" Luffy yelled. "We've been invited to dinner!" The orange-haired girl pulled in just enough to yell back.

"I'd like to stay out here, if that's fine with you!"

"I guess that's fine!" Luffy called out. He wasn't going to stop her if she was having fun. "Just be careful!"

"Sure!" The rest of the group followed Pagaya, Conis, and Su back to their home, the older man explaining how the Cumuloregalis clouds did not dissipate because they were formed with Sea Prism Stone particles and that the different amounts resulted in either Sea Clouds or Island Clouds. That was why Luffy wasn't able to swim after he fell off the waver. Once inside, Sanji and Amy followed Pagaya into the kitchen to learn how to make Sky Island food while the others were introduced to dials by the blonde angel.

"What is this?" Luffy questioned, holding what appeared to be a plain pink shell.

"Try talking into it," Conis suggested, pressing down on part of the shell but not providing any explanation yet.

"Usopp stiiiiiinks."

"Why are you picking on me?"

"Now hit the button on the apex of the shell," Conis told him.

"That's this part, right?" The pirate captain clicked the tallest part of the shell, the point moving inward like a button.

"Usopp stiiiiiinks." Luffy's voice insulted from the shell.

"Wow," Luffy admired. "Even the shells are making fun of Usopp."

"You're so mean," the sniper cried.

"This is a tone dial," Conis finally explained. "It plays back whatever is said into it until it's reset." At that point, the food was brought out and the pirates, hungry after their taxing ordeals with the knockup stream and then the Heaven's Gate road, ate ravishly. Finally, after they consumed nearly every ounce of food in the house, the youngest swordsman wobbled out to the porch to observe the beautiful view of the White White Sea, but something was missing.

"Um, guys?" Coby called. "Where's Nami?" Much of the group approached with Luffy in the lead.

"Oh dear," Conis fretted. "She may have gone out to far. I do hope she doesn't end up _there_."

"There where?" Zoro questioned.

"There is an island only a short waver-ride from here called the Upper Yard," the angel began. "It is a holy land and no one is allowed to set foot on it. Your friend may have been curious and stopped there."

"Amy, go up and find her," Luffy ordered, uncharacteristically serious. The blonde Devil Fruit user nodded and opened her parasol. Floating up over the house, much to Pagaya and Conis' shock, the woman was able to see an island covered in monstrous trees and a tiny waver next to it.

"I see her," the former Baroque Works agent announced. "She's really close to an actual island covered in giant trees."

"I hope she doesn't incur the wrath of our God, Eneru," Conis whispered.

"God lives here?" Chopper asked.

"Or someone pretending," Zoro yawned.

"Are you saying you're an atheist?" Robin questioned, turning to Zoro.

"Not at all," the swordsman responded. "The only being with power over this world is the One True Goda and no one else. Someone calling themselves God is probably some egomaniac."

"God Eneru is all-knowing," Conis told them in a fear-filled voice. "Anyone who has set foot on Upper Yard has not lived to tell about it."

"This 'God' sounds like a bastard," Luffy spat.

"No, don't say that!" Conis cried. "He'll hear you!"

"Holy shit!" Amy cursed from above them. "What the Hell was that?!"

"What was what?" Gin called up.

"There was this big beam of light that obliterated part of the island out there! It almost hit Nami! She's racing back here!"

"Was that part of God's power?" Robin wondered idly.

"Hey, Conis?" Luffy questioned. "Do you like living here with this god watching you all the time?" Conis did not answer, but her silence told the pirates all they needed to know.

"Wait a second, Luffy!" Usopp tried to protest. "This is God you're talking about! I don't want to die today! I've got a woman at home waiting for me!"

"Yeah, Luffy!" Chopper added. "We can't fight a god!"

Luffy ignored the panicking teen and doctor as the rest of his crew prepared themselves. They knew where this was going. There was no point in fighting it; that'd just give them less time to prepare.

"Guys," Luffy finally announced. "We're gonna be the crew that kicks God's ass!"

"Luffy..." Usopp and Chopper whined.

"I knew a peaceful trip here wasn't possible," Gin chuckled. "I mean, I'm a demon in Heaven. It just wasn't going to work."

"Back when I was a bounty hunter, some people called me the Demon Butcher," Zoro laughed. "I guess that makes two of us, Gin."

"Don't forget me," Robin giggled. "My wanted poster reads 'Devil Child' after all."

"We're just a trio of Hellspawn, aren't we?" Gin laughed, revelling in an adrenaline rush the likes of which he'd never felt before. "Let's go kill God!"

"WHY?!" Usopp and Chopper cried.

* * *

The Straw Hats were waiting on the beach when their navigator returned.

"Luffy!" she yelled as she pulled the waver to a skidding stop. "We've got to leave. Now."

"We aren't leaving," Luffy responded. "God's a dick, so we're going to go kick his ass."

"What?"

"I said-"

"I know what you said!" Nami cut him off. "You want to attack God? Why?"

"He lives on that island you saw, and, from what I've heard, he's a bastard, so we're gonna free Skypia. You can stay behind if you want, but I'm going to go."

"I want to stay!" Usopp yelled, raising his hand.

"Me, too!" Chopper cried, mirroring the sniper.

"I'm staying as well," Nami sighed. She wanted to talk Luffy out of it, but when he got like this, there was no talking. "You're an idiot, you know that?" The girl's hands came up to cup her captain's face. "But you're my idiot. I've seen you do the impossible, so just... come back. Ok?" Rather than give the rubber-man any time to answer, she leaned in and kissed him. Coby and Grace turned away, not wanting to see, while Sanji looked like someone just viciously murdered his new puppy, a look he gained every time they kissed in front of him.

"With motivation like that," Luffy began as they broke apart, "there's no way God stands a chance."

"Smooth _and_ using big words?" Nami awed. "You _are_ getting smarter."

"Well, with a teacher like you-"

"Enough already," Gin grunted. "I'd like to get to the part where we raid God's land _before_ your flirting kills Sanji."

"Right, sorry," Luffy apologized, pulling the whistle from Gan Fall off from around his neck and draping it over Nami like a necklace. "If you need help, call the Armor Guy. Everyone going, get on the Merry!" Everyone moved, either backing away or heading toward the vessel.

"And where are you going, Little Sister?" Amy questioned, preventing Grace from boarding the ship. "I don't remember saying you could go help us kill God."

"But I want to help!" Grace protested. "I've gotten stronger! I can pull my own weight!"

"What's gotten into you?" Amy frowned. "It this to try to impress that pink-haired brat?"

"No!" Grace tried to deny without success. "Ok, maybe a little, but I can't improve if I don't test myself, Big Sister! I don't want to have to be protected all the time! How can I paint the world's most beautiful pictures if I don't see everything the world has to offer?!"

"Goda dammit, Grace! This isn't a game! You could die!"

"I know that!"

"Then why do you want to risk your life?!"

"Why are you?!"

"It's my job to protect you!"

"Well maybe I want to protect you, too!" Amy was shocked into silence. In all the time Amy had known the girl who had become her sister in all but blood, she'd never heard her shout that loud or with such conviction. With that in mind, she backed off.

"Fine," she relented, "but I'm not leaving your side the entire time unless I'm forced to. Got that?" Grace nodded in acceptance and Amy reluctantly let her pass.

"I hope you don't mind," Pagaya said, getting the crew's attention, "but I took the liberty to outfit your ship with some breath dials to get you to the Upper Yard. I'm sorry, but they'll fall off when they're empty, so use them carefully."

"Thanks, Old Angel Guy," Luffy smiled. "Alright! Full speed ahead! To Upper Yard!"

 **End of Chapter 53**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	54. The Priest's Attack

**Chapter 54:**

 **The Priest's Attack**

"Your maaaaajesty," a goat-man with wings bleated. "Your priests have returned."

"Good," the man leaning on a plush couch answered. He had short-cut blond hair mostly covered by a white bandana and nothing to cover his toned torso. Baggy orange and black pants covered his legs to his bare feet and his earlobes were stretched down to his chest until ending with a gold piercing each. Instead of wings, he had a circular pole with four drums stylized with three tomo each protruding from his back. "I have a warning for them. Send them in."

"Right awaaaaay, my Lord."

* * *

"There it is," Luffy smiled. "The forbidden land where God lives." Having followed Conis' instructions to paddle around the island to the Lovely Street docks before taking Milky Road 2, the more-courageous Straw Hats had found their way to Upper Yard. Now they were at the entrance, two burning torches marking the island's limit while strange statues flanked either side of the path. Further up ahead, deserted ships lined the edges of the river.

"Well this looks about as welcoming as to be expected," Gin commented.

"Let's go!" Luffy cheered. Zoro, Gin, Coby, and Sanji heaved, their paddles propelling the Merry through the Sea Clouds and into Upper Yard. Barely a minute passed before they were attacked.

Out of the canopy of giant leaves above them fell large blades, swinging down like great pendulums to cut them as they had every ruined boat that sat on the shores, entire galleons chopped in half like sticks of warm butter. Zoro responded quickly, dropping his oar on the deck of the ship to jump up and slice through the wood holding each blade and trusting the others to beat them away. Robin worked the breath dials temporarily rigged to the Merry, keeping it moving at a constant speed as the men beat off the traps, Luffy, Gin, Coby, and Sanji being forced to work together to redirect every blade Zoro cut away into the milky clouds below them.

"It's a good thing Long-Nose isn't here," Robin commented in her ever-calm voice. "He would have been crying his head off."

"I almost wish we'd dragged him along just to see that," Amy chuckled darkly. Unfortunately, their talk ended there as the next round of traps began: huge wooden spears being fired at the ship. Working quickly, idling taking note that there were too many for the others to deal with without several impaling the deck, Robin searched out and moved the launchers with liberal use of her Devil Fruit power. The spears' courses were shifted every way but toward the cloud path the pirates were on, allowing them smooth sailing until the sky-lampreys arrived to try to eat them.

Luffy took care of the giant blood-suckers, punching each of them away as the other males got back to rowing. Finally, they were given a choice between four doorways: the Ordeal of Swamp, the Ordeal of Iron, the Ordeal of String, or the Ordeal of Spheres.

"Looks like we have a choice to make," Gin muttered. "Don Luffy, your decision?"

"Enie meeny miney mo..." Luffy muttered, his fingers pointing at each entrance in turn until they landed in the second tunnel from the left. "...and you are it. To the Ordeal of Iron!"

"Heave!" Sanji yelled as Grace turned the rudder. The Merry steadily drifted through the tunnel until light engulfed it once more. The Straw Hats found themselves on one of four crisscrossing paths, theirs steadily climbing upward.

"I'm glad you didn't choose the Ordeal of Spheres, Captain Luffy," Coby grunted through the rowing. "It looks like that path was a waterfall... or would it be a cloudfall? Either way, I'm not sure the Merry would have survived it."

"Of course she would have," Luffy waved off. "Merry's the toughest, most bestest ship on the seas. She can handle anything!"

"I wouldn't go quite that far, Captain," Robin warned. "I think the Merry may be nearing the end of her life."

"No she's not!" the teen denied. "I say that Merry will reach the end of our trip, one way or another, and that's final!"

"Whatever you say," Robin replied, holding up her hands in a sign of surrender, "but I think right now you should look ahead of us." Luffy twisted around and sprung up to sit on the figurehead. Ahead of them was a small lake of maybe 15 meters in diameter. On the shore sat a giant dog whose fur was a pale gold and whose height was over twice Luffy's. Sitting on the dog's head was a tan man in a green wife-beater, loose gray pants, and pointy-ended sunglasses. Tattoos spiraled down his right arm in red ink and wings slightly larger than average grew from his back. He had no hair save for a small beard and his crossed arms rippled with muscles. Leaning against his right shoulder was a sword the length of his torso, a large ball on the end of the handle.

"What's that bear-guy from Buggy's crew doing up here?" the captain questioned as soon as his eyes landed on the overly-large animal.

"You're thinking of Ritchie the Lion Tamer," Coby corrected. "That's a dog, not a lion."

"Are you sure? It really looks like that lion from that town."

"Welcome," the man greeted in a smooth baritone. "I am the Skybreeder, Ohm, and this is my dog, Holy. You have chosen the Ordeal of Iron. I must warn you, though, that you have chosen the hardest of the Ordeals. If you wish to talk with God Eneru, you must survive my ordeal, but it has a 0% survival rate."

"Good going, Luffy!" Sanji yelled, kicking his captain in the head. "Because you your stupidity, Robin-chwan, Amy-chwan, and Grace-chan could to get hurt!"

"I see that you care about each other quite a bit," Ohm commented, his dog barking in agreement. "It's good to see that, but I can also see that many sins weigh you down. I will free you from those burdens, and only in death will you truly find fulfillment."

"Hell no!" Luffy yelled. "I'm the man who'll be the King of the Pirates! I can't do that if I die here!"

"Such a large goal is quite a burden. I'll free you of that, too."

"I got this-" Luffy began, but Zoro stopped him.

"Allow me, Captain," the green-haired man said, Wado Ichimonji stopping the teen's forward motion. "He's a swordsman like me. I'll deal with him."

"Let us do this, then," Ohm offered. "Choose two of your members to battle me and Holy. If both of you win, then I will let you pass, but if either of you lose, Holy or I will kill you all. And if any of the others interfere, I will call the other priests to help me kill you."

"That's a pretty big assumption about his power," Amy thought aloud. "He thinks he could take us all on."

"Shrimp and I will handle this," Zoro told the others. "He trained that dog and I trained Coby, so this is a battle of masters' pride. Are you ready, Shrimp?"

"Yes, Zoro-sensei," Coby answered. "I'll make you proud."

"Meet us on the shore," Ohm ordered. "You don't want to damage your ship, do you?"

"At least he's polite," Coby muttered as Robin used her powers to drop a vine to them. Taking a deep breath, Zoro swung, yelling "AaaaaaAAaaaAaah!"

"What was that?" Amy question as Coby swung over as well, shouting his own manly cry.

"Yelling while swinging from a vine is a man's fantasy," Gin answered as he, Sanji, and Luffy nodded sagely to the words. "No man may call himself a true man if he swings silently without need to hide."

"…You guys are morons," Grace commented through a rice cracker. The three men fell, clutching their hearts.

On the shore, Zoro held Wado Ichimonji and Kitetsu III, his most prized sword pointed at the priest. In response, Ohm unsheathed his own sword and threw the sheath behind him. Holy barked and trudged to the side, Coby carefully watching his movements. There was silence.

In an instant, all four combatants surged forward. Zoro and Ohm locked swords as Coby activated his ability and charged Holy at a gallop with his horns. The giant dog responded by standing on his back two feet and catching Coby's top horns with its paws. Like their masters, the two began a dual of strength.

"You are strong, Blue Sea Swordsman," Ohm complemented. "And your student is well-trained. To be able to match Holy in strength, even with an ability like that, is truly impressive."

Zoro did not respond. He grunted, separating from the priest and attacking with a flurry of attacks that Ohm deflected with his longer sword and the smallest of movements.

The contest between Holy and Coby was ending. The dog twisted, throwing the boy toward a tree. While in the air, Coby flipped around and shrunk into his Hybrid Mode. His feet landed on the bark of the tree as he pulled out his blades.

"Bull Needles!" he called, pushing off the tree. Holy jumped over him, Coby twisting around to catch the attack he expected to be there. He wasn't disappointed as the dog's fisted paw impacted with his cross-block. The force pushed the younger man back until the dirt under his foot gave way with a soft "click". A white barbed wire shot out a tree to his left, forcing the young teen to change into his human form and roll out of the way before retaking his battle stance and Hybrid Mode.

"I see your student has learned the true meaning of the Ordeal of Iron," Ohm commented, him and Zoro leaping away from each other covered in superficial cuts. The dirt under the pirate clicked and Zoro ducked, avoiding the wire that shot over him to be embedded in a tree. "Those wires are made of Iron Cloud and are triggered by pressure plates I have set up all around this area. That is why I have a 0% survival rate.

"I don't give a damn," Zoro grunted. "Coby and I will defeat you. It doesn't matter what tricks you have up your sleeves."

"What a lofty goal. Shall I free you-?"

"Shut up!" Zoro cut him off. He ran forward, preparing an attack. Ohm scowled, not happy about being interrupted, and swung his sword. The blade wavered, become fluid as he swung so it struck like a whip.

"Aizen Whip!" Ohm declared. The new attack caught Zoro by surprise, but he managed to avoid being skewered. Instead, he received a gash on his right side.

"Zoro-sensei!" Coby yelled in worry. Holy swept in, punching its distracted opponent in the side.

"Coby!" Zoro fretted. "Damn it. I guess now is as good a time as any to test out my new attack."

"What are you saying?" Ohm questioned as Zoro resheathed his Kitetsu.

"Sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, heart," Zoro incanted ominously. "These six things ground us in the ways of good, evil, and neutrality. And, of course, each of these can be either pure or impure. These are the 36 earthly desires."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"You have a sword, while I have a cannon. You cannot win."

"You are delusional. I'm done with you. Be freed in death. Aizen Whip!"

"One Sword Style: 36 Caliber Phoenix!" Ohm's sword rushed forward, but Zoro's attack would not be deterred and cut through the Iron Cloud weapon. Ohm only had time to gasp before the flying slash reached him, cutting deep into his chest.

"Why is it that you wish to live so badly?" Ohm panted, supporting himself with the handle of his sword. Blood oozed from his wound, a gash that went across his stomach. It wasn't life-threatening, but the blood loss would incapacitate him for several days.

"I have people I can't let down," Zoro told him. "My friends are counting on me; I can't just go and die on them." Ohm had no words. He simply tumbled to the ground and blacked out.

Meanwhile, Coby and Holy were still duking it out. The dog's paws were covered in superfluous cuts while Coby had a black eye and a small limp in his right leg from where the dog had punched him into a tree. The area around them was filled with barbed wire since Holy kept triggering them to try to stab the younger swordsman.

"Dammit!" Coby cursed. "Just go down already!" At the word "down", Holy dropped to all fours and barked.

"Uh, sit?" Holy sat. "Roll over?" The dog did so. "Knock yourself out?" Bringing up one paw, the large dog socked itself in the jaw, knocking itself unconscious. "I can't believe it," Coby awed. "That guy trained his dog so well that it'd listen to any order it was given!"

"Hey, Shrimp!" Zoro called. "You done over there?"

"Y-Yes, Zoro-sensei!" Coby replied. He limped over to his teacher, triggering another wire trap that Zoro batted away with Yubashiri. Once he was within arm's length, Zoro gave the boy a hard pat on the back.

"Good job, kid," Zoro smiled. Bleeding and bruised, master and student swung back to the Merry, again yelling.

"Dammit," Zoro cursed as he landed, pain flaring up in his injured side. "We should've had Chopper come since he's our doctor."

"You two take a rest," Gin told them, Coby gratefully falling to lie against the railing. "Sanji and I will handle the rowing till you're back up. Your orders, Don?"

"Keep going," Luffy answered. "God should know we're coming, so we won't bother knocking. Robin, hit the dial-things!"

"Right away, Captain."

* * *

"Lord Eneru, Ohm had been defeated."

"HaHAA," Satori laughed. He was a rotund man with flowing red hair and an orange hat. Round sunglasses hid his eyes and a white jumpsuit covered his body. Wings also sprouted from his back. "That weakling got what was coming to him! Please, my Lord, let me go deal with these criminals that have dared to enter your holy land!"

"No," Eneru answered. "These Blue Sea Dwellers have caught my attention. They paid the toll coming in, but have chosen to attack Upper Yard to take me down."

"What?!" the remaining priests yelled. To think that there were people foolish enough to believe that they could defeat God!

"And then they defeated the only Ordeal with a 0% survival rate," Eneru continued. "I wish to see the faces of these interesting mortals, but first, I think that I'll go get the rest of them." With a flash of light and a whiff of ozone, he vanished.

 **End of Chapter 54**

* * *

 **I hope this fight scene was satisfactory. I don't think it's one of my best, but I still hope it was good enough.**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	55. Kidnapped!

**Chapter 55:**

 **Kidnapped!**

 **(Or would it be Pirate-napped?)**

"A priest has fallen, Wiper," a soldier grunted, only his head inside the command tent.

"How?" The man who asked had a deep tan and tattoos along his left shoulder and bicep. His upper half was bare to the world, giving his wings freedom. His lower half was covered only in a brown kilt of leaves and dial shoes. Long brown hair came down to his mid-back in a single braid, keeping the hair away from both his face and the large bazooka on his right shoulder.

"We aren't certain," the soldier answered, "but there were reports of Blue Sea Dwellers from our spies on Angel Island. Apparently, they set out for Upper Yard some time ago."

"If they are fighting with the priests, this could be the chance we've been hoping for. Get the warriors ready. It's time to finally light the Fire of Shandora once more."

* * *

"Maybe we should have gone with them," Chopper wondered aloud from the couch. "They could get hurt." The three who had stayed behind were in Pagaya and Conis' house while the others hunted down God. Conis was in the kitchen, preparing the rest of the food. Off in the corner, Pagaya was tinkering with the old waver he'd found on the Merry while installing the temporary breath dials, Su sleeping against him.

"Don't worry about them," Usopp waved off next to him, whether because he wasn't afraid for the others or because he just didn't want to have had to go as well was unknown. Nami said nothing; she was standing on the patio, staring off toward where Upper Yard was supposed to be.

"Here you go," Conis announced, placing a tray of food in front of the girl. "Your friends ate everything father made before, so here is some food just for you."

"Thank you, Conis," Nami nodded. "You didn't have to do that."

"It was my pleasure." Taking the tray, Nami walked back into the house and sat on the opposite couch before placing the tray of food on the table in front of her. While she ate, the others kept up idle chitchat to keep their minds off the battle they knew must have started by now.

"Worried about your crewmates, are you?" a voice questioned. Everyone's heads swiveled toward the balcony where Eneru sat, lounging as if he owned the place.

"Ahh!" Usopp and Chopper screamed, hugging each other. "Weird guy!"

"W-Who are you?" Pagaya asked, trying to keep the fear out of his voice. Su blinked, waking up.

"Some followers you are," Eneru chuckled. "You can't even tell when you're in the presence of your God."

"What a-are you doing here, y-your majesty," Conis tried, hoping that everyone would make it out of this in one piece.

"I was bored," God answered, waving his hand absent-mindedly. "Your friends defeated one of my priests. I'm rather surprised, I have to say, but there is still time before they reach the sacrificial altar, so I decided to set up a party for when they get there."

"Sacrificial?!" Usopp screamed.

"Altar?!" Chopper questioned. (Not that he knew what an altar was, but it didn't sound good.)

"Well sorry, pal," Nami bit out. "We don't want to go to your damn sacrifice party."

"Don't make him mad!" Usopp yelped, tripping over the table to cover Nami's mouth before she could say more.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice in the matter," Eneru responded to Nami's statement.

"Please," Pagaya begged. "These three aren't fighters. They don't wish to be part of the battle."

Eneru only let him finish his sentence out of godly courtesy. As soon as he'd finished, though, Eneru pointed his pointer finger at the man. Wordlessly, he fired a compressed ball of lighting the tore through the right side of the Skypian's abdomen like a bullet. Pagaya fell back with the sound of thunder, his blood staining the carpet and a couple of spots on Su's white fur. The cloud-fox jumped and hissed.

"Father!" Conis cried, running to his side. Usopp whipped out his slingshot and fired three Lead Stars, but the attacks went through the aggressor. Eneru turned toward the sniper, zapping forward to press one finger to his temple. With a single shock, Usopp was unconscious and spasming on the floor.

"Usopp!" Chopper screamed as smoke rose from his friend's mouth. "You monster!" The doctor charged the God figure in his Heavy Point, but he was met with the same fate. Su growled at leapt at the blond, but Eneru snatched her out of the air by her tail, holding the struggling animal at bay. With a tsk, he swung the fox around until her body impacted one of the walls, the poor animal coughing up blood.

"Su!" Conis cried, but she did not move from where she was trying to stop her father's bleeding.

Panicking by this point, Nami brought the whistle to her lips and blew as hard as she could, the high pitch causing Eneru to flinch. He lightning-traveled forward and backhanded the girl, ending the sound.

"Shut up, you pathetic mortal," Eneru hissed. "Your shrill cry rivals that of a banshee." The navigator moved to blow the whistle again, but the man of lightning moved faster. Grabbing the noise maker, he supercharged his hand, heating the metal to the point where it melted between his fingers. That painful thing destroyed, God knocked both Nami and Conis unconscious the same way he had with the male pirates. Since no one was in any shape to fight anymore, Eneru rounded up the unconscious and slung them over his shoulders, leaving Pagaya and Su.

"You... You'll never get away with this," Pagaya coughed, red falling from his lips and coloring his beard. " _He_ will return. And when _he_ does, the true God will take _his_ throne one more."

"As much as I would love to kill you, old man," Eneru began, "I can't. I still need you to give a message to that has-been if he shows up. Tell him that the final battle has begun and that I refuse to lose to a soft-hearted old man like him. Remember that." In a flash of light, the current ruler of Skypia left, taking the four unconscious teens with him. Pagaya stayed still, keeping pressure on his wound so as to not bleed out, the silence of the room broken only by the labored breathing of Conis' pet. About three minutes passed before a well-known call sounded and a pink bird with brown spots landed on the windowsill.

"It appears I'm too late," Gan Fall sighed sadly.

"No," Pagaya coughed, pain flaring from his wound. "He took them to the Upper Yard. Please, he has my daughter and the visitors. Save them."

"I'll save you first," Gan Fall answered, pulling a bundle of cloth from his pack. He bandaged the man, Pierre moving over to Su to care for her.

"Please, God," Pagaya rasped just before the pain took him into unconsciousness. "He said that... that the final battle has begun. Please..." He trailed off and passed out.

"Rest now," Gan Fall ordered. "Pierre, it's time to go. We're taking this man and the cloud-fox back to our homestead before setting out for Upper Yard. It's time we finished this once and for all."

"PIIYAAY!"

* * *

"This is boring," Luffy whined as he draped himself over the figurehead. The Merry had been steadily cruising along the milky road for nearly half an hour and there had been no action, much to Coby's relief since that gave him and Zoro time to rest. Luffy, on the other hand, wanted something to fight. The section of forest they were in ended, spitting the Merry out in a field covered in crisscrossing Milky Roads and human skulls on spikes.

"That's a nice image," Amy remarked dryly.

"It could be worse," Zoro shrugged.

"Yes, it could," Robin agreed. "They could still have flesh on them."

"Robin!" Coby yelped while Grace drove for the railing to avoid losing her lunch on the deck.

"That's not ok!" Amy yelled, agreeing with Coby for once.

"Amy-chwan is stunning when she's angry~!" Sanji noodled. "And Robin-chwan is beautiful when she's imagining morbid scenery~!"

The Merry continued forward, twisting its way toward where all the paths combined to climb up the largest tree any of the pirates had ever seen. Suddenly, a war call from the left attracted the crew's attention. They turned to see an army coming toward them, each armed with a heavy weapon of some sort and dressed in light clothing of plant material. Most of the army flew over them, only giving the pirates half a glance, but the leader flipped and fired his bazooka.

Luffy responded much faster than he had the first time and inflated to repel the projectile with a Gum-Gum Balloon. Many warriors' eyes widened at the act while the leader's narrowed.

"That is not normal," he grunted, landing on a tree branch, "not even from those of the Blue Sea. He must have eaten of a Devil Fruit."

"Hey, you bastards!" Luffy yelled angrily. "What do you think you're doing, firing at our ship?!"

"You were in our way," the leader of the army answered, "but you are not as weak as I had thought. Why are you here?"

"We're here to kick God's ass!" Luffy answered. "He's a dick and I don't like what I heard about him!"

"...I see."

"Wiper," a woman with long black hair said, jumping up to rest on the same branch as the leader. "We were told that some Blue Sea Dwellers had come to Upper Yard, then we got the report that one of the priests was defeated. Could these be the ones responsible?"

"If they are," a large man commented, the top half of his face covered in a toboggan, "do we want them as our enemies? The enemy of our enemy is our friend, as the teachings of Kalgara say."

"We are here to defeat the man known as Eneru!" Wiper finally announced. "Have you heard that name or the word 'Shandora' before?"

"I don't think so," Luffy pondered.

"You never think, moron," Sanji sighed. "Eneru was the name of the God of Skypia."

"Oh! Then we're here to beat up this Eneru guy!"

"Is there any way we could use these people to help us kill Eneru?" the woman whispered so the pirates wouldn't be able to hear her.

"It sounds like they want the same thing we do," the large man grunted.

"We will leave them be," Wiper ordered. "If they get in our way, though, we will take them out without mercy."

"Understood," the woman and man answered.

"Be gone!" Wiper ordered. "But stay out of our way!"

"Don't get in our way and we won't have a problem!" Zoro responded as the Merry began climbing up an incline and out of sight of the army. The small ship continued up until reaching the apex, giving the crew a view of the entire island. Off toward where the army had headed, an explosion ripped through several trees. A stalk spiraled out into the air from the center of the island, two Island Clouds stuck near the top giving it a second and third layer. The path below them twisted into a counterclockwise corkscrew. Several members screamed, drowning out their captain's laughter as the Merry tipped and began her acceleration.

"Sharks!" Amy yelled, clutching the railing so tightly that she was losing blood circulation in her fingers. At the bottom of the path, where the Milky Road ended in a lake of Sea Cloud, a swarm of skysharks waited with their mouths open. Luffy hopped onto his Captain's Seat and threw a Gum-Gum Gatling at them, beating them away. Hitting the clouds with a splash, the Merry slowing drifted to what appeared to be small pyramid in the center of the lake.

"Ooh," Luffy awed. "What's this?"

"It appears to be an altar," Robin answered, studying the symbols carved into the stone. "I'm not sure what it's for, but there are stairs leading to the top."

"Yahoo!" the teen cheered, jumping off the Merry. Zoro followed and Amy floated upward.

"What the?" the swordsman questioned. Lying on the altar's platform where Nami, Usopp, and Chopper, each unconscious and with their hair standing on end. Suddenly serious, Luffy stepped over to the orange-haired girl's side and kneeled to gently shake her shoulder.

"Nami," his whispered as Zoro made his way to Usopp and Amy to Chopper. "Nami, what happened? I thought we left you guys back with Conis and her dad." Nami was stirring, but it was Usopp who answered the question as he bolted upright.

"No! Leave us alone!"

"Calm down, Usopp," Zoro said. "What happened?"

"What? Zoro? Luffy? Wait, but that means... Shit! We're in the forbidden land, aren't we?" The sniper's voice, which had started out as a shout, had fallen to a whimper by the end.

"What happened, Long-Nose?" Amy demanded, considerably less gentle than the captain and first mate.

"God attacked us," the sniper whimpered as Chopper bolted upright, screaming. "He shot Pagaya and hit us with this weird technique. All our attacks just went through him!"

"Sounds like this God has a Logia Devil Fruit," Robin commented, stepping over the small lip around the altar's platform. "It seems Mr. Swordsman was right: we aren't facing God, just someone with that title."

Nami was the last one to wake up. Whereas Usopp and Chopper had jumped up, she slowly came to, the image of her significant other swimming into view.

"Luffy?" she asked, her throat sore; she hadn't drunk very much before Eneru appeared and the electricity had evaporated some of the water in her system, so she was rather dehydrated. "What? Where are we?"

"Take it easy," the teen ordered. "We found you three on top of some altar."

"Three? But there should be... wait. Where's Conis?"

"He took Conis, too?" Luffy's eyes hardened, an almost heavy feeling beginning to surround him. "That bastard!"

"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do right now, Captain," Robin commented, pointing at the fading source of light in the distance. "The sun is setting. We'd only get lost at night, so we might as well make camp on shore and regain our energy."

"But that asshole has Conis!" Luffy tried to argue.

"We can't do anything," Zoro grunted. "I doubt even the Love Cook could find her in this forest at night, and that's without a non-human madman holding her prisoner."

"I'm with them," Amy added. "Walking around an unknown forest at night is suicide."

"But..." Luffy turned to Nami, hoping she'd back him up, but there was only pained acceptance in her eyes. "Fine," he growled. "We'll wait until tomorrow, but if that bastard does anything to her...!"

"Why don't we throw a party to try to take our minds off it, hmm?" Robin suggested. "That's one thing I've learned this crew is good at."

"Alright." Luffy's voice didn't hold near as much enthusiasm as it usually did, but still, the camp was set up and the festivities began.

 **End of Chapter 55**

* * *

 **Not quite the explosion you all were expecting, eh? People like Eneru (or Enel for those of you who like that. Personally, I think Eneru rolls off the tongue better) like to play with their prey and refuse to believe anyone could harm them, no matter what handicaps they give themselves. He wants everyone in on this game. All the pirates, anyway. Conis... Let's say I might get some hate for what's coming. It's nothing permanent... except maybe the mental scars. Anyway~**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	56. The Survival Game Begins!

**Chapter 56:**

 **The Survival Game Begins!**

The sunset shone brightly over the land of Skypia, coloring the clouds a brilliant red. God's Shrine held the perfect angle to observe the daily phenomena, but none upon its cloud were watching as the sun fell over the horizon. The remaining three priests, Satori, Gedetsu, and Shura, had been called to God's Shrine for the second time in as many days, an almost palpable curiosity hanging in the air around them. Eneru lounged on his throne before them, his left hand holding the end of a chain. The other end of the chain was connected to a collar around the throat of a young girl, a Skypian if the wings were of any indication, who was kneeling beside the throne. She had blonde hair and a pink dress, but her face was hidden from view because she was looking downward as if in shame. Her usual hairstyle had come undone due to the ambient static electricity in the air, so her bangs covered part of her face. A pair of metal bindings held her wrists together, small tears dripping down from her hidden eyes to roll off the cuffs.

Gedetsu was a man with black hair stylized into eleven rounded protrusions all sticking out from his head and pointed up. He wore a loose purple suit that contrasted well with his deeply tanned skin, and, currently, he was trying to cross his arms, but he couldn't seem to get it quite right. He also couldn't ask how since he was trying to talk while chewing on his bottom lip.

Shura ignored his fellow priest, almost as if he wished to not be associated with such a man. Shura was lightly tanned and dressed in the clothing of an airplane pilot, even though airplanes probably did not exist in that universe (save for a single, large man with buck teeth somewhere in the New World). Sitting atop his head was a brown helmet with wing decorations and goggles that matched his leather vest and pants. His black mustache was shaped into two sharp points shooting out parallel to his lips. His weapon, a spear as long as he was tall, sat in a holster on his back.

"My God," Satori bowed as well as his girth would allow. "Our God. Why have you called us here again?"

"Up until now," Eneru began, "you have each been assigned your own areas, however, tomorrow that rule will be no more." The priests moved to object, but Eneru held up a hand to stop them. "Starting tomorrow will be a game that I have been looking forward to for a long time. As you should know, the Ark Maxum is nearly complete. Once it is done, I will have no more use of Upper Yard or Skypia, so I am hosting a Survival Game."

"A survival game, my lord?" Satori questioned.

"Yes. By the next setting of the sun, I will begin my assent into the Home of God within the night sky, and the strongest will accompany me. The four who live through this game will have the honor of coming with me."

"You make it sound like there are many who will be part of this game," Shura observed.

"Indeed. I, myself, will be participating, but so will you three, the guard, the Blue Sea Dwellers, and the Shandorians. That is about 85 participants in total."

"You still have not told us who this girl is," Gedetsu gasped after a servant reminded him how to both cross his arms and speak. "Does she have some importance in this game?"

"A Skypian girl who was getting friendly with the Blue Sea Dwellers," Eneru waved off. "She will not be a contender in the game. I have decided that, rather than killing her, I'll take her as my first wife after my assent." The prisoner jerked at that, choking herself from the sudden pressure on her throat.

"I'll never marry you," the girl coughed. "The Blue Sea Dwellers are coming for you. And so is God. You won't win."

"Silly girl," Eneru chuckled, sending just enough electricity through the chains to shock the blonde. "I _am_ God. Gan Fall is far too past his prime to have any prayer of defeating me. And the mortals from the Blue Sea? They'll join me if they survive."

"No," Conis cried in a voice that was at once full of both certainty and despair. "They won't." Eneru and his priests ignored her. Instead, they laughed at her foolish belief that anyone could stand against Eneru and his Godly power.

* * *

The sound of snoring filled the clearing, the smoldering remains of a giant bonfire sitting in the middle of a group of pirates and wolves. Trying to keep their captain's, and their own, minds off the prisoner Eneru had for the night, the Straw Hats had decided to throw a party. The noise, however, attracted a pack of cloud-wolves that had claimed the territory. With Chopper as the translator and a plethora of cloud-shark meat as incentive, the pirates made peace with the beasts who joined them in the festivities. The wolves had even brought their own booze, a type of fermented berry juice that ended up getting Chopper drunk to the point where he tried to dissect a tree. Now, several hours later, only one lifeform was stirring.

"Luffy," Usopp begged. "Please."

"Come back here, meat monster," Luffy grumbled, hugging a giant rock and proving that the festive air they'd put on for show had eventually become real. Nami was snuggled on top of the captain's food-filled form, using him as a bed, but Usopp dared not to wake her even by accident. She would charge him!

Seeing no hope of waking his captain for protection, Usopp tried Zoro, Sanji, Coby, and Gin without success. Grumbling in a mixture of fear and irritation, the sniper set out toward the lake to relieve himself (which was why he'd only tried to wake up the males). As he drew closer, stumbling over the giant roots of the trees that called this island in the sky home, the sound of a hammer started making itself known. The sniper was certain it was a hammer, he'd had to repair the Merry from both attacks and stupidity a lot after all. Becoming even more cautious than before, Usopp slunk forward as his mind switched from using the restroom to protecting the ship.

The lake was foggy when he arrived, the white haze hiding all but the vaguest of silhouettes. The rhythmic _thump, thump, thump_ became louder and louder as the pirate drew close. Standing on the ground next to the Merry was a humanoid shape that turned to Usopp and grinned.

"Have you come to inspect my work?" it asked in a slightly higher-pitched voice tinted with amusement. The words were the last straw for the cowardly "warrior of the sea" who fled only 25 yards before tripping over a root and passing out. His last memory before hitting his head was the thing's bleating laughter.

"Baahahaha!"

* * *

"Wait, wait, wait," Gin muttered, holding up a hand to stop the stream of words coming from Usopp's mouth while his other tried to rub the last vestiges of sleep from his eyes. Thank Goda Chopper had learned an anti-handover serum from Kureha or else several of the guys would be too out of it to fight. "Let me get this straight. You went to use the restroom, saw someone, or some _thing_ , hammering on the Merry, and rather than attack, you ran away and knocked yourself out?"

"Accidentally," Usopp gulped as he nodded. He'd been prepared to face animals when he left last night, not ghosts.

"I bet he just had too much booze," Zoro laughed. "He was telling the wolves about how he and Kaya had gone on a date through the wilderness of Little Garden last night. There's no way a story like that comes to someone who's sober."

"Guys, I'm serious," Usopp insisted.

"Hi, Serious," Amy teased. "I'm Amy."

"You all suck," the sniper pouted. "If you don't believe me, them go check the Merry!"

"Fine," Sanji waved off. "I still don't think you saw anything last night.

Sanji was wrong. When the crew arrived back at their ship, they found that all its flight features had been removed and that the holes from their journey through the cumuloregalis cloud and the sky islands had been patched. She looked far from new, but the ship was repaired.

"Who could have done this?" Nami questioned, running her hand over the metal used to fill in for the railing on the port side that Wapol had eaten so long ago.

"Does it matter?" Zoro grunted. "Even if we found out, are you going to go track them down just to thank them?"

"Well, no..." the navigator answered.

"Mr. Swordsman is correct," Robin interjected. "We have more pressing matters at the moment."

"Yeah!" Luffy agreed. "Like kicking that bastard God's ass!"

"No, no, no!" Usopp yelled, waving his hands wildly. "I, for one, do not want to fight God!"

"You did stay behind earlier, didn't you?" Amy nodded. "I guess we could split up. The three of you who don't want to be here can take the Merry and sail around the island to pick us up after we kill God."

"Without protection?!" Chopper wailed.

"Calm down," Sanji placated. "How about this? Robin, Amy, Grace, and I will stay behind to protect you."

"Pass," the three females denied, breaking Sanji's heart.

"I've decided," Luffy nodded sagely. "Each of you three will pick one of us to protect you, but I'm not a choice."

"I'm not either," Zoro commented before his name could be called. Nami, Usopp, and Chopper visibly deflated.

"I want Sanji!" Usopp yelled.

"Gin," Nami picked. The Man-Demon sighed; he'd wanted to challenge God.

"I'll take Grace," Chopper chose. He'd put more thought into his choice. That or his decision had been influenced by Amy's evil aura as she indicated for him to pick her younger sister or face her sadistic wrath. Even after their argument on Angel Beach, the blonde was still against the girl challenging the inhabitants of Upper Yard.

"Then it's settled," Luffy announced before the younger girl could argue. "Nami, Usopp, Chopper, Sanji, Gin, and Grace will take the Merry to pick us up... somewhere, and Me, Zoro, Robin, Amy, and Coby will track down God, kick his ass, and rescue Conis."

"Sounds like a plan," Zoro nodded. "I've got the map memorized, so follow me."

"Yeah, right!" Amy laughed. "You couldn't find your way out of a bucket and you expect us to follow you? I'd be more likely to follow Usopp into battle!"

"My sense of direction isn't that bad!" the swordsman shot back. "Tell her, Shrimp."

"..."

"Shrimp?"

"Sorry, Zoro-sensei, but she's right." The older man moved to argue, but before he could, the trees next to them caught fire.

"Finally, I've found you!" a man declared from atop a giant bird, flying out from the burning foliage. Eneru had announced the start of the Survival Game that morning, so Shura had spent that whole time looking for the Blue Sea Dwellers just to challenge them himself. He got his wish, but rather than fearing him like he had expected, most of the _mortals_ seemed bored.

"Who's this clown?" Gin questioned, gesturing to the man on the bird and ignoring the shaking sniper cowering behind him.

"That's Bobby, isn't it?" Luffy asked with a tilt of his head. "Bobby the Clown?"

"No, Captain," Coby corrected. "You're thinking of Buggy."

"I am Shura!" the priest growled, annoyed by the pirates' lack of fear. "It is time for you intruders to receive the judgement of God! Prepare to die!"

"Kyahahaha!" Amy laughed. "Do you really thing you can take on all of us at the same time?"

"I am the strongest priest of God Eneru! I cannot be bested by mere humans." Shura's bird dove, putting itself on a collision course with the girl who had laughed at him. The humans readied their weapons, fully intending on using their numerical advantage.

Diving toward Amy, Shura pulled out his lance and twisted it forward. The blonde did not seem phased by his attack since she only went so far as to open her parasol. Jumping in front of their comrade, Gin batted the lance aside with inches to spare and Sanji jumped in to try to drop the priest with an ax kick. The priest and his bird spiraled away, narrowly avoiding the chef's leg, while the lance stabbed into the ground with a blast of fire before being yanked out as he flew by.

Amy had dropped her mass, intending on making either Sanji or Gin launch her into the air, but the blast from where the end of the lance exploded caught her off guard, sending her over the lake with several burns on her left side.

"You bastard!" Sanji yelled. "How dare you damage a beautiful woman's precious skin!" Shura chose not to answer the irate cook as he flew around for another pass.

"Gum-Gum Pistol!"

"32 Caliber Phoenix!"

"Firebird Star!"

"Cien Fleur: Seis Manos!"

"Stretchy punch," Shura mumbled to himself, bending back to avoid Luffy's attack. "Flying slash. That's interesting." His bird flipped, narrowly missing the attack Zoro sent their way. "Fire pellet." The bird literally ate Usopp's attack. "Sprouting arms. Six of them." The priest jump away from his pet, getting out of the range of two of them. The other four appeared on his body, grabbing at his arms and legs. It seemed that the Straw Hats had won.

Unfortunately for them, Shura's lance was entirely heated from the inside. He pulled his weapon back, brushing against Robin's sprouted arms. The heat from the lance burned her hand.

"Damn," the woman grunted, gripping her hand as her sprouted arms dissipated into flower petals and the burn transferred to the Devil Fruit user. The bird swooped in to scoop its master out of the air before turning toward Amy who was still floating above the lake.

"Big Sister!" Grace yelled as the priest soared toward her adoptive sibling. Amy panicked as the giant avian opened its beak, an orange glow coming from the back of its throat. She slammed the button Usopp had installed on her parasol back in Alabasta, praying that it was enough.

It was. The fire from the bird missed the Devil Fruit user who had, in her time of panic, managed to drop her mass to 0.5 kilograms. With the realization that she was out of the woods for the moment, Amy increased her mass to land within the group, leaving Shura as the only one in the air.

"You little brats don't deserve the honor of joining God on his journey," Shura growled. "I'll make sure you don't win it by chance!"

"We don't want to travel with God!" Luffy shouted back. "Now where is Conis?!"

"Who?"

"Yeah! Where's Conis, you bastard!" Chopper yelled.

"I know not of this Conis," Shura grunted. "Nor do I care."

"Then we don't need you!" Sanji shouted. He jumped into the air before coming to a sudden stop, hanging as if by magic. "What? I can't move!"

"Sanji!" Luffy yelled. "Gum-Gum..." He froze as well. "Crap!" The rest of the Straw Hats were in similar states, unable to move.

"You have fallen into my trap," Shura gloated, laughing at the pirates as they struggled to free themselves from his String Cloud. "Welcome to the Ordeal of String!"

 **End of Chapter 56**

* * *

 **Who likes cliffhangers? Anyone? Come on, raise your hands! ...Nobody? I guess it's less fun on the receiving end. How will the Straw Hats get out of this predicament? Find out next wee- er, this Friday on Dragon Ba- er, Coby's Choice!**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	57. Battle Royal

**Chapter 57:**

 **Battle Royal**

"Did you know there's an awesome treasure hidden at the end of the sea? And anyone who finds it will be King of the Pirates! Is that exciting or what? There are incredible adventures out there just waiting for us!"

* * *

 _Sanji jumped into the air before coming to a sudden stop, hanging as if by magic. "What? I can't move!"_

 _"Sanji!" Luffy yelled. "Gum-Gum..." He froze as well. "Crap!" The rest of the Straw Hats were in similar states, unable to move._

 _"You have fallen into my trap," Shura gloated, laughing at the pirates as they struggled to free themselves from his String Cloud. "Welcome to the Ordeal of String!"_

PIIYAY _!_

Pierre's call was all the only warning Shura had before Gan Fall swooped in, his spear aimed at the priest's chest. Shura tried to move, but he wasn't fast enough and the old man's spear stabbed into the younger's left arm. At its master's cry of pain, Shura's bird pulled away and blasted a pillar of fire at the Sky Knight and his steed who flew out of range.

"Did you lose control of your Mantra?" Gan Fall poked. "I thought you said you were the strongest of Eneru's priests."

"Shut up, Old Man!" Shura ordered. "Let's go, Fuza!" The bird called an affirmative and burst forward. Pierre responded in kind and the two warriors battled in the air. Down on the ground, the pirates were more occupied with getting free.

"What is this stuff?" Chopper asked, trying to move his arms.

"Splatter," Grace mumbled. Her right leg could still move, so she used it to kick a bottle of her regular paint into the air where it opened to release its contents. Some of the blue paint caught onto what appeared to be strings while the rest of it only hit the ground.

"Strings?" Sanji questioned, trying to squirm out of the String Cloud that held him aloft. "These are stronger than any strings I've seen."

"I can't get to my swords," Zoro growled, his left hand only inches from the handle of Wado Ichimonji.

"Can you do anything, Robin?" Nami asked, her arms uncomfortably pinned into her sides.

"I'm afraid not," the raven-haired woman responded. "I cannot reach my usual focus."

"Let's see if this works," Coby grunted. "Dino Mode." His form shifted, the strings wrapping around his body becoming visible from where they tried to restrict his growth. The task, however, was too great for the String Clouds which snapped one by one. Shrinking back into his Hybrid Mode now that he was free, the boy pulled out his swords and cut through the air between his crewmates randomly. The wild slashes cut through the invisible string, freeing his friends. "What now?"

"The Sky Knight isn't doing too well," Robin observed, rubbing her arms to return blood flow into her hands. "If he falls into the lake, he and his bird will certainly be eaten by the skysharks."

Up in the air, Gan Fall and Shura were both worse-for-wear. The older was littered with small burns and part of his beard had been burned away. Shura, on the other hand, was covered in bruises and cuts, his left arm still freely bleeding from where Gan Fall's surprise attack had caught him.

"Give it up, Old Man!"

"I'm afraid these people are my clients. I can't just abandon them when they call."

"Then die!" Shura bent down to become more aerodynamic as Fuza shot forward toward their opponents.

"36 Caliber Phoenix!" The flying slash caught the priest completely off guard and cut deeply into his torso. The man lost his grip on his Heat Javelin as the force of the attack pushed him off his mount to plummet toward the skyshark-infested Sea Clouds below.

"Fuza!" Shura yelled. His pet could save him!

"Cien Fleur: Clutch!" The arms sprouted from the bird, wrapping around and squeezing. Fuza only had time to squawk in alarm before the arms tightened, restricting its wings and painfully cracking its back. The bird tried to breath fire in a last-ditch effort to save itself, but the flames did nothing but heat the air. The arms held as master and pet fell into the lake, the former silently apologizing to their God. The skysharks were ready when they splashed down and soon were in a frenzy. Shura and his pet bird Fuza did not come up.

"Sky Knight!" Chopper yelled happily, running over to their savior to treat his injuries. "Sky Knight, you came!"

"If only I had come sooner," Gan Fall sighed. "I'm sorry I was too slow to help you. Pagaya told me what happened."

"Then you should know that we're here to kick Eneru's ass and get Conis back," Luffy nodded. "And we aren't leaving until we do."

"So it would seem. In that case, I may have some information that would be beneficial for you to have."

"Go on," Robin prompted.

"Eneru has held the title of God for six years now. Before then, I held that title."

"So you're God?!" Usopp cried.

"Not anymore, but I do know much of this land called Upper Yard. And I know much more. Please, stick around a while so I can explain."

* * *

It was chaos in the forest clearing where one rotund priest had readied his Ordeal of Spheres. The surrounding forest was filled with the deadly surprises, explosions and the like sounding through the air as the Shandorians and the Royal Guard battled for supremacy. Already, the priest could tell that many, both ally and foe, had fallen to his traps.

"HaHAA!" Satori laughed, an explosion incinerating a Shandorian. Next to him, his younger twin brothers spun away from the projectiles fired from several of the attacking warriors. The twins looked like their older sibling, but shared the goat-like characteristics of the rest of Eneru's guard. How that was explained, I, as the author of this story, have _absolutely no idea_. "Is this not fun, Hotori? Kotori?"

"It is, Brother Satori!" one of the twins answered. "Flavor Dial!"

"Flame Dial!" the other twin added. The flames mixed with the gas and grew larger, burning the wings of some warriors who barely escaped the worst of it.

"Take this!" yelled Brahm, the Shandorian with the toboggan covering his upper face. He leveled his bazooka at the three and fired a large, iron ball. The attack came too quickly for any of the brothers to react, the ball catching one of the twins in the stomach and propelling him backwards into a tree. He slumped, unmoving.

"Hotori!" the two remaining brothers cried.

"You'll pay for that!" Satori added angrily. "Sphere Dragon!"

Satori's strongest attack made its appearance, chasing down the larger Shandorian, but Brahm stayed nimble with the liberal use of his dial shoes. The dragon chased him around, a foolish warrior attempting to attack the large weapon and losing his life to a venomous snake that came out of one of the spheres. Finally getting the Sphere dragon where he wanted it, Brahm fired a ball at the second-to-first ball which blew up, separating or destroying the remaining spheres.

"Let's go, Kotori!" Satori called. He received no answer, but his Manta, finicky from the anger of Hotori's defeat, felt something was off. He turned. "Kotori?"

"Impact!" one of the remaining guerillas shouted, the impact dial in his hand sending the force it had stored into the face of the twin. Blood and a single tooth fell from the mouth of the guard as his eyes rolled back and he crumpled next to his fallen brother.

"Sphere Dragon!" Satori roared. The attack made a reappearance, snapping up all but Brahm and devouring them, random spheres exploding as the warriors were pushed through the balls. "You're next!" Satori shouted, his control of his Mantra slipping as the rage for his fallen brothers grew. He threw the dragon at the final enemy who ducked out of the way. The dragon exploded against a 1000-year-old tree, causing it to topple.

Brahm yelled as he fired three iron balls, but Satori was running on rage and instinct by this point. Bringing up his right hand, the priest halted each of the projectiles with the impact dial within his right glove. He dashed forward. Brahm pulled the trigger again, but he hadn't been keeping count of how many iron balls he had. He was empty. Satori drew in close and pinned the man against a tree.

"Impact," the priest hissed, releasing some of the force stored in the shell. "Impact. Impact! IMPACT! _IMPACT!_ " Satori pulled back, leaving his opponent trapped within the human-shaped crater in the tree, blood dripping from his lips.

"You bastard!" Wiper yelled, zipping onto the scene after hearing the explosions in the distance. Believing his friend to be dead, Wiper threw aside his bazooka and shield for a boost in speed, hitting Satori with the palm of his bandaged right hand. Satori knew no more after one word.

"Reject!"

* * *

Wiper panted before the unmoving form of Satori, the sound of his great breaths filling the now-still clearing. The ground was littered with the fallen bodies of several Shandorians who had given their lives fighting the priest. Satori's spheres still floated in the air, drifting along almost peacefully. It was here, panting and angry, that Laki found him.

"Wiper," she whispered, stepping into the clearing. She glanced at both Brahm and Satori "Is he...? Are they...?"

"I don't know." The warrior shook his head, refusing to shed tears before the battle ended. "The battle isn't over. And the battlefield is no place for children. You made sure Aisa was safe in the village, right?"

Laki nodded. "I tied her up myself and gave the villages strict orders. She won't be going anywhere."

"Good." Wiper looked around, his eyes finally landing on Brahm. "I'm sorry, my friend, but we all agreed. We'll come back after we've lit the fire of Shandora. Let's go, Laki."

"Right!"

* * *

"So this little shell has the power to kill someone?" Usopp wondered aloud, watching the immobile impact dial sitting on a barrel. He, Nami, Chopper, Sanji, Gin, and Grace were sailing away on the Merry, hoping that the power left in the breath dials Pagaya had installed was enough to get them out of Upper Yard's forest. Gan Fall had joined them because they had called him, so it was his job to protect them.

"Indeed," the former God nodded. "The impact dial is quite common in sky warfare, though it is not the only tool. That priest we fought earlier, Shura, used a Heat Javelin, a spear with a Heat dial inside that heats the weapons to the point where it can burn anything it touches."

"Amazing," Gin awed. "Maybe I could outfit my tonfa with some dials while we're here."

"And they could be very helpful for cooking," Sanji nodded, his mind going to back to watching Pagaya making them food the day prior.

"I wonder if there are paint dials," Grace muttered.

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump

"What was that?" Usopp yelled frantically as Pierre squawked at being so rudely awoken from his nap.

"Prepaaaare yourselves, Blue Sea Dwellers!" a bleating voice ordered. "You will faaall to our ax dials!" On the lower deck of the Merry were five of Eneru's guards, each aiming one palm at the eight lifeforms on the bow of the ship. The guards were lean with gray/brown fur, dangly goat ears, straight horns, wings, and plain white clothing.

"What strange people," Grace observed. "Color Trap: Bullfight Red." She rushed in, painting two symbols, one on each fighter on the ends of the guards' formation.

"Do you think a little color is going to mess up our aaaaim?" one guard bleated. "Ax dial!" Unfortunately for him, the color _did_ mess up his aim as the attack he began was redirected into his fellow royal guard. Red blood mixed with the pain as the ax dial cut into the other warrior and pushed him overboard. "Wh-what?"

"Nice one, Grace," Gin chuckled, pulling out his tonfa. "Want me to handle the rest?"

"Goat meat may not have as much protein as fish," Sanji muttered, lighting a cigarette, "but it is still nutritious if cooked right." The two dashed forward, blowing the remaining four royal guards off the Merry with only a few cuts to the deck and mast to show any sign of a fight. Gan Fall didn't even have time to get involved before it was over.

"That was quite a showing," Eneru commented, clapping from when he sat on the railing. "Most impressive."

"Who's this clown?" Gin questioned.

"Eneru," Nami squeaked as Usopp dove over the railing to hide on the lower deck.

"So you're the one that attacked Nami-Swan and Conis-Chan," Sanji bit out, his teeth almost splitting his cigarette in two. "I've got a bone to pick with you."

"Do you?" Eneru tilted his head. "I don't believe I know you."

"Mutton Shot!" Sanji yelled, lunging at the man who claimed to be God. Eneru reacted quickly, moving his head out of the kick's path and grabbing the chef's leg as he went by. The smell of ozone accompanied Sanji's scream of pain before the cook was carelessly thrown back to the deck as a charred and smoking form.

"Sanji!" the other pirates cried. Chopper dove to the deck, checking the blond's vitals.

"You bastard!" Gin insulted, rushing forward with his tonfa spinning. "Spinning Death!"

"Is this the best you can do?" Eneru yawned, his form blurring in and out of focus as the Man-Demon's weapons passed through his body. Each time, Gin grit his teeth harder as the electricity in the Logia's body was conducted through the pirate's iron weapons and into his own body. "I've been through something like this before only a few minutes' prior."

"Colors Trap: Sadness Blue!" Grace's paint splattered on the man, but there was no effect save for when the chemical mixture bubbled and evaporated. Eneru yawned as he grabbed Gin by the face and zapped him, blackening him like he had Sanji. He began reaching for Grace.

"Pepper Star!" Usopp cried, panicking. "Smoke Star! Lead Star! Firebird Star! Usopp Rubber Band of Doom!" Every attack went through the man, all but one.

"Ow!" Eneru exclaimed, more out of surprise than pain. The rubber band that had struck him on the forehead spiraled away into the Milky Road. "You'll pay for that, Long-Nose," Eneru growled, but before he could move toward the sniper, Gan Fall's spear stabbed through his body.

"I don't have the motivation to deal with you right now," God sighed, the excess electricity running through the former God's weapon. The Devil Fruit eater backhanded his predecessor away and grabbed Usopp by the nose, shocking him into unconsciousness for the second time in as many days.

From his hiding place behind Grace, Chopper cursed his own uselessness. He'd wanted to attack as well, but Eneru's powers were too much for even Sanji and Gin; what good could the little reindeer have done? Plus, as Grace had reminded him, their doctor was needed to treat the injured. It would do no good if he was one of said injured. Eneru only gave Nami, Grace, and Chopper half a glance before he zapped away, mumbling to himself about there only being one priest left.

Chopper set to work, getting Sanji, Gin, Usopp, and Gan Fall patched up. The three pirates would need more attention than the Sky Knight, but that didn't mean the doctor was going to let the older man chase down Eneru.

"What do we do now?" Nami questioned.

"Something affected him," Grace recalled. "He has a weakness."

"He's made of electricity, right?" Nami's query was directed at Gan Fall.

"If that is what you people call lightning, yes," the knight nodded.

"Rubber is an almost perfect insulator," the navigator thought aloud. "That means..."

"Luffy!" the three conscious pirates yelled at the same time.

 **End of Chapter 57**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	58. Luffy's Missing?

**Chapter 58:**

 **Luffy's Missing? The Battle Continues**

"Oooooooh! The islands in the south are warm~! And their heads get really hot~! They grow-a pineapples, they grow-a coconuts! Aaaand theeey're morons~!"

"Luffy," Zoro scowled. "Could you stop with the singing already?"

"Yes, please!" Amy agreed. "It'll attract unwanted attention to us!"

"I don't see a problem with it," Robin chuckled. "I say we led the captain sing all he wants."

"Thanks, Robin!" Taking the woman's opinion over those of Zoro and Amy, Luffy began the next verse. "Ooooooh! The Islands in the north are snowy~! And their heads get really cold~! They're very chilly-chilly, they're very willy-nilly! Aaaand theeey're idiots~! Next verse! Ooooooh! The islands in the east are-"

"What would it take to make him stop?" Coby whined.

Almost immediately, Murphy answered in the form of screaming goat/men/angels.

"Meeeeh!"

"Was that a goat?!" Luffy asked quickly. "Are there goats up here?! I wanna see a giant goat!"

"Run awaaaaay!" several of the guards bleated, their dial shoes sending them flying past the group of pirates too quickly to be seen. One of Luffy's arms stretched out, grabbing the one at the back of the pack. The sudden backwards force drug the guard away from the rest, launching him over the pirates' heads where he crashed headfirst into one of the giant trees.

"Awe," Luffy pouted. "That's not a goat! Dumb guy got my hopes up..."

"It begs a question, though," Robin commented. "What were they running from?"

SHAAAA

"I'm going to guess that," Coby sighed, his head falling into his hand. "Me and my big mouth."

The ground rumbled for a couple seconds before a giant snake burst from the foliage. The snake, whose scales were a striped pattern alternating between light and dark blue and had twin lines of white feelers or some such dangling across its sides, was large enough to rival many of the Sea Kings the crew had encountered in their journey. Four great fangs, two on the top and two on the bottom, stood out from the rest of its pointed teeth, each one more than four times the height of any of the pirates. Small, slitted, yellow eyes glared at the pirates from its massive head and large drops of some purple substance dripped from its fangs, the solution sizzling on contact with the ground.

"SHAAAA!"

"Run?" Amy asked.

"Run," Coby agreed.

The snake lunged. Panicking, Coby grabbed the nearest person and threw himself to the side, the snake's colossal body thundering past with no end in sight.

"This is quite the conundrum," Robin commented beside him. "I'm almost certain that snakes aren't supposed to get that large, but anything is possible in the Grand Line. Should we try to contact the others?"

"We'll in in a moment," the rosette responded, tearing his eyes away from the creature. "I'd rather get away from this thing as fast as possible."

* * *

"Where am I?" Luffy questioned, taking in his surroundings. He, Zoro, Amy, Robin, and Coby had been walking through the forest, then that cool giant snake had shown up. Now he was lost in some sort of cave with dilapidated ruins and bones strewn about with no idea about how he got there. The teen reached down as something sparkling caught his eye. A second later, he had a solid gold necklace in his grasp. "Oh! This is shiny. I'm sure Nami would like this." The rubber-man pulled the accessory over his head before seeing a crown which he grabbed as well. Going over his options, the captain took stock.

"Hat? Yep. Bag? Nope. Aww dammit; that had my lunch. Den-den? Yep. Maybe I can call." The boy opened the shell on his little invertebrate which woke and started ringing.

BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP...

"No answer," Luffy sighed much too quickly. "Oh well. I know they'll be fine. Now, to find my way out..." picking a direction, Luffy started walking.

"Ooooh! The islands in the west are wild~!"

* * *

"What do you mean you don't know where Luffy is?" Nami yelled into the snail. The den-den, whose eyes were slitted to indicate that Coby was on the line, flinched.

"It's like I said," the boy's voice spoke. "We encountered this giant snake and got separated. I'm with Robin right now and Zoro-sensei and Amy checked in, but we haven't gotten word from Captain Luffy at all."

"Shit," Nami swore. "Where is everyone else?"

"Robin and I are headed toward the ruins; she wants to inspect them. Zoro-sensei and Amy are still headed toward Giant Jack like Gan Fall told us to, but with Zoro-sensei's sense of direction, it could take them a while to get there."

"It's literally visible from everywhere on the island."

"Your point?"

"...Alright," Nami conceded with a sigh. "Be careful. Eneru attacked us and hurt the guys, but we found out that he's weak against rubber."

"He is? That's good to know. We'll keep looking for Captain Luffy." The snail clicked before falling asleep.

"We are in quite the predicament," Grace yawned. "I'm going to sleep."

"What?!" Nami and Chopper yelled. "Now isn't the time for that!"

"It's fine," the lazy girl waved off. "I'm sure Chopper and Gan Fall can handle anyone who attacks. Wake me up if something happens" Grace laid down against the railing where Zoro usually napped and was soon snoring softly.

"I hope everyone's fine," Nami worried, heavily sitting next to the mast. Her right hand came up to rest on her tattoo and the personalized jolly roger thereupon. Chopper sighed and joined her.

* * *

"Your other right... no, your other right... no, turn around... Yes, that way! How the Hell is your sense of direction so bad?!"

"My sense of direction is fine! It's not my fault everything in this damn jungle looks the same!"

"I told you to turn right and you started moonwalking! That had nothing to do with the jungle! Sanji's right, you are a moronic moss-head!"

"You wanna go right here, right now? We can finish what we started in Whisky Peak!"

"Or I could leave you behind and find God's Shine on my own!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

* * *

"These ruins are magnificent," Robin awed, "but what are they doing up here? Could it be...?" The two Devil Fruit users trudged along over the Island Clouds that had replaced the soil over a dozen meters back. The ruins of whatever civilization that had lived on the island surrounded them, remaining quiet. If they had come at night, the Zoan Fruit user wasn't sure if he'd have had the courage to continue inside.

"What is it?" Coby asked, eyeing the tilted temples around them. "Do you have a theory?"

"I can't read this writing," Robin answered, running a hand along a wall covered in unknown symbols, "but I recognize them from the altar. I have a feeling that the gold Cricket is looking for isn't at the bottom of the ocean."

"Are you saying that this is the City of Gold that Noland wrote about?"

"I'm almost positive," the woman responded.

"Wouldn't that mean that this island used to be part of Jaya like some of the rumors the Monkey brothers told us about said?"

"Indeed," Robin nodded. "Come along, Little Swordsman."

"I'm not that small!" Coby rebuffed, chasing her up the stairs of a pyramid that was much smaller than Coby had thought is should be. "At least, I'm not that small anymore," he whispered to himself.

"Yes, yes," the woman waved off. "Come look at this. Don't you find it strange that, even though these ruins appear to be from the Blue Sea, we are standing on Island Clouds?"

"Not really," Coby answered with a shrug. "We're on an island in the sky, hunting down God himself and his priests while a group of guerilla warriors are attempting the same thing, while at the same time goat-men with wings and horns are trying to defend the island and/or fleeing from a giant snake that lives on said island. Nothing seems that weird right now."

"I see your point," Robin conceded. "Now cut down as far as you can."

"Alright," the boy sighed, unsheathing his weapons. Working together, the duo make quick work of the fluffy floor before it finally gave way to another room.

"See?" Robin smiled, a ladder of flesh blooming into existence within the hole. "What we saw up there was only the top of the temple. The rest of it has been buried under Island Clouds over the last 400 years."

"You were right," Coby gave in, choosing to jump rather than climb the arm-ladder, "but what are we going to learn from these ruins if you can't read them?"

"I examined Noland's logbook thoroughly before we left," Robin answered as she turned down a long hallway with light at the end. "It mentioned that the Shandorians protected a block of black stone with writing that they couldn't read. I believe it is a Poniglyph."

"That's the thing you wanted back in... Alabasta... Woah," Coby was struck speechless as the duo stepped out to see what the Island Clouds had been hiding. The ground was now soil and tendrils of vines grew over everything, but even so, the craftsmanship of the buildings was astounding. Soft light like one finds on a cloudy day filtered through the Island Cloud above, subtle changes causing the light to flicker beautifully. A staircase of limbs bloomed before the explorers. Robin moved forward without hesitation.

"Come along, Little Swordsman!" Robin called upward, causing Coby to snap his mouth shut. "It wouldn't do to leave you behind!"

"I'm coming!" The boy ran down the fleshy stairs, careful not to put too much weight on any one limb. The stairs dissipated into flower petals just after Coby stepped off and he ran after the woman. They explored the ruins cautiously for several minutes before it became obvious that there were no traps set in place.

"This is it," Robin gasped as she and Coby stepped into one of the final rooms. Against the far wall, a large block half-covered in moss and vines stood proudly. The archeologist inched forward, hope shining in her eyes. Reaching the Poniglyph, she cut the vines away with a knife and studied the symbols.

"...What does it say?"

"The Rio Poniglyph," Robin whispered to herself. "It could be here. I need to find it."

"Robin!"

"Oh, yes," the woman muttered, snapping out of her reverie. "Please call Ms. Navigator. I'm sure she'd love to know that the City of Gold's last known location is on this island."

"I have a feeling we shouldn't tell her," Coby responded nervously. "At least, not until after we deal with God. Then we can go on a Gold Hunt."

"Good point," Robin nodded. "In that case, shall we head toward God's Shrine and meet up with the others?"

"Sounds good." The duo climbed upwards to reach the place where they had entered the temple and began skirting the ruins to reach the other side.

"Where did they go?!" The pirates heard a voice exclaim much too close for comfort. Ducking behind a bit of rubble to hide, Robin bloomed a single eye to survey the area. A little way ahead, a tan man in purple was wandering around with his eyes rolled back in his head.

"Where did they go?" he asked again, trying to find the Blue Sea people he could have sworn he'd seen a second ago. A goat-man behind him was politely trying to remind him to unroll his eyes.

"Sir Gedetsu, you can't see with your eyes pointed at the back of your head."

"Oh! How careless!"

"This guy doesn't seem very bright," Coby whispered.

"I'll handle it," Robin replied. "Seis Fleur: Clutch." 12 arms, six for each opponent, sprouted around them and bent them backwards. There were two sickening cracks and cries of pain before some sucking sounds. The man in purple screamed, clouds of some sort blasting out of his shoes and launching him into the jungle. "There we go," the woman smiled.

"Robin," Coby shivered, "you scare me sometimes."

"Come along, Little Swordsman!"

"I'm coming, I'm com-" Just as the boy stepped out from around the rubble, he was sucked into a Swamp Cloud trap.

"Coby!"

* * *

"That idiot," Amy scoffed, watching as Zoro was dragged into the air by a giant Southbird that wanted whatever was in his backpack. "I'm sure he'll be fine." She floated upward, carefully avoiding the projectiles shot at her from both the Shandorians and God's Warriors fighting below.

Only paying them enough attention to not get hit, Amy focused on getting to God's Shrine at the top of Giant Jack. Up and up she went, the island getting smaller beneath her. She noted the Merry chugging along unimpeded and the snake that had attacked their group earlier slithering around, crying out in pain or laughing randomly. Explosions abounded as the remaining Royal Guards and Shandorian warriors fought in the forest. At one point, a man in purple flew by, strangely-liquid clouds streaming out of his shoes -"How careless!"- until he spiraled into the trees. There was a pair of cries from that area, one male and one female, but the former agent paid it no mind. Finally, Amy reached the third level of the enormous beanstalk and touched down lightly.

"So, this is God's Shrine," Amy said to herself, staring up at the gate whose architecture matched that of the entrance to Skypia: grand and flashy. She stepped forward and pushed on the doors. With a loud crack, the door on the right snapped off its hinges and fell to the cloudy floor. Amy stared at the scene beyond.

The charred corpses of several angels, both male and female, were scattered about the area. The three buildings that had stood were nothing but broken and blackened wood, leaving only the bases together. Taking a couple steps in, the pirate noticed that the backside of the entrance doors were fried to a crisp, that being the reason one of them had given out when she touched it despite the outside being perfectly pristine. Walking forward, Amy inspected each woman's body, hoping that she didn't find Conis among them. Luckily, she didn't, even though one blonde maid looked like her. Amy woke her den-den mushi.

"Hello?" Nami and Robin answered.

"I reached the shrine," Amy told them. "God isn't here. Neither is Conis."

"Damn," Nami cursed.

"Oh dear," Robin muttered. "I wonder if Eneru has already disposed of her."

"Robin!" Coby shouted in the background.

"I'm only joking," the archeologist waved off. "Anyway, Ms. Valentine, you are on the highest level of Giant Jack, are you not?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Would you please float to the top and see if you can spot a golden bell?"

"Golden bell?!" Nami screamed, causing the den-den's eyes to turn into Beri signs. "What's this about a golden bell?"

"Oh dear," Robin giggled. "It seems I've let the cat out of the bag."

"I thought we agreed not to tell Nami until after we beat God," Coby grumbled.

"Just tell me," said girl ordered.

"The Little Swordsman and I found a Poniglyph in the ruins confirming that they were from the lost civilization that Montblanc Noland wrote about in his logbook."

"Does that mean the City of Gold is somewhere up here?!" the navigator yelled excitedly.

"Most likely," Robin answered. Nami's screams of happiness were the only thing to come out of the dancing snails for the next minute. With a sigh, Amy shut off the connection and opened her parasol again.

"Zoro's right about one thing," the blonde muttered. "Nami's a money witch. Goda help the poor soul that gets between her and wealth."

 **End of Chapter 58**

* * *

 **Would y'all believe me if I said that I added almost 800 words to this chapter before posting it?**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	59. The Survivors Gather

**Happy summer everyone! Or at least, I'm now on summer break. I am now no longer a freshman in college and should have more writing time, so that's nice. Job hunting, however, is a pain in the ass.**

 **And to those people that skipped the filler chapters (I'm sure there are several of you), you _might_ want to go back and read those, at least the _Dead End Race_ chapters. Something from there will tie into the story in the long run. Also, there was a highly-demanded Omake at the end of the second chapter of _The Rainbow Mist_.**

 **Finally, to celebrate the beginning of summer, there is another Omake at the end of this chapter which I hope you all enjoy!**

 **Also, I'm sorry for the 12 or so of you that have already seen this. I think Fanfiction was acting up, so I'm re-uploading this chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter 59:**

 **The Survivors Gather**

"Where do you think you're going?" Nami demanded as the Sky Knight replaced his gear.

"I must confront Eneru," the man grunted. "I have a feeling that whatever is happening is nearing its end."

"But-" Nami tried to protest. Gan Fall did not hear her as he hopped on Pierre in his Pegasus form and took off toward Giant Jack. On his way there, the Lord of the Sky, the giant snake, noticed him and began a chase, attempting to snatch him up as food. Nami stared on with a forced smile, her entire face twitching at her annoyance.

"Meeeeh! Surrender, Blue Sea Dwellers!"

"Hello, misplaced aggression," she muttered as a squad of goat-men settled on the deck. "Grace! Chopper! Get up! We've got company!"

* * *

"Giant Jack," Wiper growled, staring up at the plant from some ruins situated on the second level. He was the last of the attack; everyone else had fallen to the overwhelming numbers of guards, even Laki when one of Eneru's Priests, Gedatsu, literally fell out of the sky. It had taken both of them to defeat the man, but Laki was out of the fight. "There's only one more level to God's Shrine."

"AHHHH!" Out of nowhere, a man with green hair plummeted into the ruins. Instantly, Wiper had his Burn Bazooka trained on his form as the man pushed himself to his feet.

"Damn bird," Zoro cursed, brushing dust off himself until he noticed Wiper. "Oh, it's you."

"Heso, Blue Sea Scum."

"Zoro-sensei!" Coby, covered in bits of Swamp Cloud, rounded a corner and ran up to his teacher, not realizing that the Shandorian was there. Robin followed at a much more leisurely pace. "Zoro-sensei, I'm glad to see you're ok!"

"Burn!" Wiper shouted, activating his weapon. Zoro grabbed his student and rolled out of the way as the blast destroyed all the ruins in its path.

"Why you-!"

PIIYAY

Just as Gan Fall arrived, so did the Lord of the Sky, bursting up through the clouds.

"What a gathering," Eneru smiled, appearing on a wall with a gold staff resting on his shoulder. "We still have eight people, three animals, and me in this game. That's 12 in total, even though three have decided to run. I think I'll let them, I can abduct them later anyway. After all, two of them are only women."

"Eneru!" Coby barked, shifting into his Hybrid Mode. "Where is Conis?!"

"My first bride is already on the Maxim, awaiting the survivors who are to join me. We have eight here and one above us, but this simply isn't the right place for a final battle. Allow me to change that." Eneru vanished, leaving Zoro, Robin, Coby, Wiper, Gan Fall, Pierre, and the Lord of the Sky to look for him in vain. The clouds below them began to glow. Then, they exploded.

* * *

Amy could see the bell Robin had mentioned. Even covered in overgrown vines, the bell, which was perched on a cloud near the tip of Giant Jack, glittered brilliantly in the afternoon sun. Set into the base of the bell was a black square and one of the Golden posts had fallen off. She floated next to the plant, entranced, until there was a flash of light below her. Amy only had time to look down before the pillar of lightning reached her, sending volts upon volts of electricity through her system. The wires Usopp had installed in her parasol exploded and the umbrella itself burned away as the lighting tore through it. The pain was too much; the former agent passed out and began to fall.

She was not the only one falling since every competitor save for Eneru were plummeting toward the hidden city. Robin bloomed several arms to help slow her and her crewmates' descents. Pierre caught Gan Fall and Wiper used his dial shoes, insuring that they landed safely as well.

"Ow," Coby whined, rubbing his sore tail and tailbone. He looked around, noticing where they were, before inspecting the hole they had just fallen through. A small yellow speck stood out in his vision against the uniform green of the gargantuan plant, alerting the boy to the being falling from the top.

"Amy!" he cried, pointing at the unconscious woman. Robin seemed to get the message as she crossed her arms and bloomed several more arms to gradually slow the falling blonde. Only as the woman neared the ground did she reach a point where the archeologist could catch her in a net of limbs.

"It seems I overdid it," Eneru laughed, eyeing the blackened chocolatier. "Shame, she's a beauty, too. Oh well, that just leaves eight of us here: five humans, two animals, and me, but," he pointed at the large snake which was slithering around the ruins with tears in its eyes, "I cannot take this annoying thing with me." The man who held the title of God blasted the snake with lighting, charring the serpent as it cried out in pain. The Lord of the Sky collapsed with its jaw hanging open. "There. Now that that's done, six of you remain. We must eliminate two more before I can depart, so who will live to join me?"

"Is this a game to you?!" Wiper demanded, malice permeating his words.

"Why, yes," the lightning-man answered with amusement. "It is."

"Well I'm not playing!" Coby declared, raising one sword. "We came here for one reason, and that was to kick your ass!"

"I know," Eneru responded with a smug tone.

"Then you know that I'm not playing either," Zoro growled.

"Nor am I," Gan Fall voiced.

"PIIYAY!"

"For once, I agree with the old man," Wiper grunted.

"The only one who's going to die here is you!" they all stated.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Eneru laughed, losing himself. "You mortals think you can best me? God? HA!"

"What is your goal here?" Gan Fall questioned, his spear aimed at the man's heart. "What are you trying to accomplish?"

"The Eternal Verth," God answered with reverence, spreading is arms up toward the heavens. "The Endless Verth! Fairy Verth! Take your pick at the name, but I will have it! An expanse in the sky of nothing but verth as far as the eye can see. I shall find this amazing place after destroying this abomination known as Skypia!"

"You bastard!" the remaining humans yelled.

"And what of my Divine Guard?" Gan Fall continued.

"The 650 that I took prisoner six years ago have been very useful to me up until this morning, and like I said, we are the last survivors on this island."

"You monster!" Coby shouted. Gan Fall growled and shot forward with Pierre at his side. Eneru didn't move as the former God stabbed through his stomach and the man's faithful companion's talons ripped through his head.

"You foolish old man," Eneru groused. "Fall like your subjects did. Five Million, Ten Million, 20 Million Volt Body!" The lightning tore through the older man's armor and the backlash jumped to his bird. They both yelled out in pain before falling. "And that leaves four."

"You said that you were going to destroy Skypia," Robin commented, only her crewmembers hearing the waver in her voice. "Are you aware of the possibility of destroying the Golden Bellfree of Shandora?" She was grasping at straws. They didn't stand a chance if they couldn't find Luffy.

"Oh yes," Eneru nodded. "In fact, I know where it is thanks to your weightless friend there and my Mantra. But you, I have no worries about. If there's one thing I hate, it's a cold and calculating woman." He aimed his arm at the female pirate and fired. Zoro and Coby moved to intercept, but the lightning twisted around their attempts to shoot through Robin's skull. She let out a silent scream of pain before falling unconscious.

Angry at himself for being too weak to help, Zoro spun around to gently catch her before she could fully collapse. Carefully, he set the woman on the ground and faced God with a murderous look. "Shrimp, let's go."

"Right." Master and student shot forward with their swords pointed at their opponent. Zoro crossed his blades.

"Crab Grab!" the green-haired man yelled, bisecting Eneru at the waist.

"Pandora's Box!" Coby added, cutting away half of Eneru's head, the top of the drums, both arms, and part of his chest. His golden staff clattered to the floor as Coby's foot shoved through what remained.

"You fools," Eneru laughed, his legs kicking Coby away and shoving Zoro's face into the dirt. "I am invincible." The man who held the title of God came together, standing on the pirate's head.

"Damn you," Zoro growled. He rolled away just as Wiper landed on their mutual enemy. Rather than passing through, Wiper's legs wrapped around the strangely-solid Eneru. He laid his bandaged right hand just over Eneru's heart.

"What do you think you are doing?" Eneru asked.

"Have you heard of Sea Prism Stone?"

Eneru's eyes widened. "Wait a moment!" he tried to protest. "Think about your actions! Are willing to die for a homeland you never knew?"

"Yes," Wiper answered. "Reject!"

* * *

"Why does this cave keep moving?" Luffy questioned, pushing debris off himself. He'd been wandering the strange cave for several minutes, collecting gold as he went, so he was now wearing a crown, three necklaces, a dozen armbands, four rings, and two bracelets. "Now let's see. Which way should I go?"

"AHHHHHH!"

"Old Knight Guy!" Recognizing the voice, Luffy bolted for the left, jumping over ruins and ignoring the fact that his clothes had started dissolving. He ran as quickly as he could, but the cave was long and it took him several minutes to reach the end. Finally seeing daylight, Luffy ran though the exit just as Wiper unleashed his reject dial for the second time.

"Reject!" The impact blasted Eneru and Wiper away from each other. Blood dripped from both of their lips, but, while Wiper stood, Eneru laid motionless on the ground.

"Who is this guy?" Luffy questioned, staring down at Eneru's fallen form. "Oh, Zoro! What's- Robin!" The captain bounded over to the charred woman whom Zoro was kneeling next to. Coby joined them, Amy limp in his grip.

"Amy!" Luffy cried. "Coby, who did this?"

"Eneru did," the boy answered, pointing at the downed man. At the same time, Eneru's chest sparked with electricity and thumped like the beating of a drum. Again and again this happened.

"He's trying to restart his own heart," Coby realized just a second too late. With a final thump, God stood again and glared down at Wiper. The Shandorian's face held nothing but shock at the feat his enemy had just accomplished.

"I must say, I'm impressed, Shandorian. Most people would have died after only a single use of a reject dial, but you have used it twice and are still standing. Unfortunately, your work has been for not as-" He was cut off as Luffy's fist smashed into his face. God flew into the base of the pyramid, not knowing what had happened. He was impervious to swords, bullets, and blunt weapons; how did this person hit him? And who was that?

"So this is God," Luffy growled, falling into a fighting stance and cracking his knuckles.

"Who are you?" Eneru demanded as he stood, a bruise already forming on his cheek.

"I'm the man who's going to be the King of the Pirates and I'm the man who's going to kick your ass!"

"I don't know what you did before," Eneru confessed, spinning his staff, "but I'm not going to be defeated by some random pirate from the Blue Sea."

"Gum-Gum Pistol!" Even as he dodged to the side, God's eyes widened. He knew that this man had some sort of Devil Fruit ability, but was that how he had been able to touch him?

"El Thor," Eneru stated, firing lightning into the sky where it gathered and condensed over the pirate. The electricity came down on top of the pirate as a giant, blue pillar.

"Captain Luffy!" Coby yelled. The lightning dissipated into the surrounding air, a hole several meters in diameter left in its place.

"Hahaha!" God laughed. "There's no possibility that he could have survived that! Wait, what?" Eneru was shocked; there was still a lifeform in the pit. His Mantra has never lied or been wrong, so how was it that the pirate was still alive?

Luffy bounced out of the hole, much of the gold he had been wearing melted onto his skin, and punched forward. Shock held Eneru in place long enough for his attack to connect. God was thrown into the pyramid again.

"But..." Wiper stuttered. "My Burn Bazooka hadn't affected him. How-?"

"Captain Luffy is made of rubber," Coby supplied helpfully.

"What is rubber?"

"You don't know what rubber is?" Coby questioned. His face broke into a smirk. "In that case, things just got a lot easier for us."

 **End of Chapter 59**

* * *

 **High Seas Hijinks:**

 **Love is in the Paint**

(Set between Dead End Adventure and Rainbow Mist)

"Coby," Grace whispered as the pink-haired boy walked past, grabbing his shirt and pulling him to the wall. The girl was situated just outside of the kitchen where Sanji was preparing lunch for the rest of the crew.

"What is it?" the young swordsman questioned, looking down at the redhead who had stopped him.

"Watch this," she smirked. Gin was rounding the corner, having been ordered by Luffy to go get what food was ready already. He glanced at the two whispering kids, but paid them no mind. When he stepped into the kitchen, however, all Hell broke loose.

"Hey, Sanji!" Gin called, shoving the door open. "What's done? Don Luffy is demanding a sacrifice."

"Calm down, Gin," Sanji replied, turning around. "All I've got is... love for you in my heart!" Sanji yelled the last part, noodling over to and around the confused man. "How have I never noticed how ruggishly handsome you are, my dearest Gin?!"

"Sanji?" the Man-Demon sputtered as the blond cook cupped his face, only for the wanted of the two to shove his hands away. "What the Hell's wrong with you, Sanji?"

"Nothing is wrong!" the cook declared, dropping to one knee and pulling a rose out of his clothing, "for the true arrow of love has pierced my heart and it calls me to you and your beautifully-tanned skin!"

"Sanji, why are you..." Gin trailed off, his eyes falling on a pink design painted on the back of the chef's shirt. Suddenly, the snickering coming from outside the door was all too clear. "Graaaaace!"

"Run!" the girl yelled, grabbing Coby's hand and pulling him away just as the door to the kitchen exploded outward, leaving a very pissed-off Gin in its place. He took off toward the young duo jumping down the starboard stairs, the artificially love-struck cook noodling behind and declaring that love knows no gender.

"Grace! Coby! Get back here so I can beat you, you pests!"

"No one's touching my sister!" Amy yelled. She fell in next to Sanji, chasing Gin so she could beat _him_ for threatening her adopted sibling.

"You're handsome when you're angry, my beautiful demon~!" Sanji swooned.

"They're catching up!" Grace yelled as she and Coby passed Luffy and Chopper. Knowing he was the faster and physically stronger of the two of them, and knowing that he was in this just as much as she was now, the rosette grew into his Hybrid Mode, swept her into his arms, and took off with Gin hot on his heels. If he wasn't mistaken, the air on his back was indicating that Gin's tonfa were making an appearance.

"Is this a race?!" Luffy called excitedly as the group passed.

"A race?!" Chopper parroted. "I want to join!" The two jumped in behind Sanji and Amy.

The Ancient Zoan was barely paying attention to where he was going, which was why he did not notice when he blew past Usopp after rounding the front of the ship, jostling whatever chemicals the sniper was experimenting with and causing them to blow up in the long-nosed teen's face. The sniper promptly vomited over the side of the Merry before Sanji's noodle legs bumped him enough to send him overboard.

Dashing up the stairs and onto the upper deck, Coby, with Grace still being carried, ran past Zoro and Robin. A tonfa-wielding Gin angrily followed while being chased by an irate Amy and noodle-y Sanji with the excitable Luffy and Chopper bringing up the rear.

"My my," Robin giggled, looking up from her book just long enough to see the strange parade pass by. "It seems Ms. Goldenweek has swept our Little Swordsman into something. This ship is quite exciting."

"Whatever it was," Zoro grunted, lifting obscenely-large dumbbells next to her, "it seems to have made the Shit Chef come out of the closet. I hope the Love Cook doesn't come after me next." Robin only giggled quietly at the antics of her crewmates. As she watched, Coby took a sharp turn and dashed into the small forest of citrus trees.

Coby and Grace cowared behind Nami in the middle of her tangerine orchard where they had found the scariest of the crew pruning her beloved plants. Gin came to stop a couple feet away, panting heavily, only to be tackled by Sanji and Amy, the former hugging him tightly and the latter beating him over the head with her parasol. His weapons clattered to the deck a couple feet away.

"Is this the finish line?" Luffy questioned as his stomach rumbled. "Ugh, I'm so hungry. Nami, can I please have a tangerine?"

"You can when someone explains what the Hell is going on," the navigator answered, glaring at the assembled young adults.

"I do believe Ms. Goldenweek used her mood paint to affect Mr. Cook in some way," Robin answered, both her and Zoro walking over to the group. "Am I correct?"

"Yeah," Grace answered, trying to look innocent. Her smile betrayed her. "I used a new compound that released endorphins into his brain when his optical nerves recognised a human shape. Basically, I made him fall in love with the first person he saw after I applied the paint. I call it Love-Struck Pink."

"Gin-kun, you handsome devil! I never want to let you go!"

"Make it stop!" Gin begged, forcing away Sanji's face as the cook tried to kiss the former Krieg pirate. "Please!"

"I don't know," Amy smirked, now fully understanding the situation. "I think you and Sanji look good together."

"No, please!"

With a sigh, Grace painted a black line through the pink symbol on the back of the chef's shirt. Sanji came to a second later, jumping away from the pirate fast enough to give him whiplash. The memories of the past few minutes came rushing back to him, causing the disgusted chef to run to the railing and lose what little remained of his breakfast from that morning.

"Sanji, food!" Luffy ordered, not understanding what just happened, but hungry all the same. Nami passed him a peeled tangerine to hold him until the chef was emotionally-stable enough to actually serve a meal.

"Uh, guys?" Coby muttered, counting out the pirates in the immediate vicinity. "Where's Usopp?"

"HELP!"

"There he is."

Most everyone laughed. They could almost feel their bonds growing and they knew, at that moment, what it meant to truly be Nakama...

"I SAID HELP!" Usopp screamed.

"Bleigh!" Sanji vomited.

Well, most of them anyway.

 **Fin**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	60. God's Weakness

**Chapter 60:**

 **God's Weakness: Rubber Bands?**

"Ow," Gin whined, sitting up painfully. Nearly his entire body was bandaged, but that didn't stop Gin from forcing himself out of bed. Next to him were two beds, one with an injured Usopp and the other empty. The man staggered to the door and trudged out onto the deck.

"Gin!" Chopper greeted, running over from where he had been berating Sanji. "You shouldn't be up yet!"

"I'm fine," the man responded, ignoring his aching muscles. "Just give me some painkillers in case I have to fight soon."

"But, Gin-"

"Don't worry about it," the Man-Demon waved off. "What's going on out-?" He stopped as a pillar of blue lightning appeared on the horizon. The sound of thunder followed almost immediately, waking Usopp if the scared yelled from the medical cabin was of any indication. Gin's face darkened instantly. He walked back into the cabin.

"Usopp, I need you to do something for me."

* * *

Luffy and Eneru were monsters. Coby could only stare in awe as his captain and the man who claimed to be God fought furiously. Eneru had gotten over the shock of Luffy being able to hit him and was now using his Mantra to avoid Luffy's attacks, however, none of Eneru's lightning tricks had any effect on the rubber-man and Luffy's reflexes were too fast for the man to hit him with his golden staff. Even when Eneru had used his powers to superheat the gold in his staff into a trident, Luffy had countered by grabbing the weapon and quickly snapping it over his knee, earning a few small burns from the heat but being otherwise unaffected. Eneru tried to escape several times, but the lightning-man was starting to slow down and each time Luffy had been too fast, catching him before he could lightning-travel away. Eneru slowing was not only because the injuries from Luffy's first two punches had taken a toll on the man who hadn't been hit in all the years since he'd eaten his Devil Fruit, but it also seemed like he was running out of steam, or charge as the case may be. Coby was so entranced in watching the two fight that he almost didn't hear his den-den ringing.

BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP...

"Hello?" he answered, holding the snail up by his ear so he could hear the voice on the line over the crashes of crumbling ruins coming from the fight. "This is Coby."

"Coby, it's Gin. Where are you?"

"I'm in the ruins of Shandora at the base of the giant plant."

"Is Don Luffy there?"

"Yeah. He and Eneru are fighting right now."

"Listen. I need you to get them to move up a level or two. Somewhere where we can see them from the Merry."

"Do I want to know why?" Coby questioned.

"Let's just say this crew is getting to me and leave it at that." Gin's answer was vague, but Coby had a feeling he knew where it was going. "Plus I have something to prove. If I can't defend my crewmates, who can count on me?"

"Do you have a plan?"

"I have... 12 percent of a plan?"

"Better than 11 percent," Coby shrugged. "I'll figure something out."

"Thanks." The snail clicked before falling asleep. Coby reset the shell over the tiny invertebrate and eyed the combatants, waiting for a lull in the battle where Luffy would be able to hear him. Finally, the two slowed, staring each other down.

"Zoro-sensei, can you buy me 30 seconds?"

"Go." The man didn't even question the reason. Instantly, the swordsman took off toward God. Coby ran toward Luffy, skidding to a halt next to the teen as the green-haired man cut away at Eneru.

"Captain Luffy, we need you to drag Eneru up the plant," Coby told him.

"Why can't I kick his ass here?"

"Gin says he has something to prove and needs you to stall him. Also, I don't think Robin would appreciate you destroying these ruins."

"Right, sorry."

"Gah!" Zoro went down, a bird made of 30 million volts of electricity passing through his torso.

"Bastard!" Luffy jumped forward as Eneru tried to change into lightning to escape and reach the Ark Maxim. The pirate was having none of that, his hand shooting forward to wrap around God's throat. Eneru struggled, trying to beat the rubber-man's arm with his broken staff, but when that didn't work, he abandoned the staff to pull at the hand choking him. Luffy's arm stretched enough for the lightning-man to get a full gulp of air before Luffy started dragging him upward.

Eneru's flailing body slammed into Giant Jack multiple times as Luffy climbed up in bursts of speed using his free, stretchy arm. Finally, they reached God's Shrine where, if one were to squint, they could see the Merry docked by the east shore.

"Get off me!" Eneru ordered, managing to free himself from Luffy's grip in a sudden push of strength. "A puny mortal like yourself has no business facing a god like me! You cannot begin to list the differences between you and I!"

"Is it the drums?" Luffy asked innocently. "Skin tone? Ears! It must be the ears! One second." Eneru watched in shocked confusion as his opponent grabbed his own earlobes before stretching them down to his chest. He released them, willing the skin to stay stretched.

"Are you mocking me?!" Eneru roared. He shot forward, electricity sparking around him like a beacon. Luffy stepped to the side, but Eneru changed the course of his punch to catch the rubber-man in the face. Even then, it had no effect.

"You," God growled. "You puny Paramecia! Die already!"

"I'm not going to die here!" Luffy shot back as Eneru ducked under a Gum-Gum Whip. "I'm the one who's going to be the King of the Pirates!"

"HAAAAAA!" Without warning, two weights slammed into God's face

* * *

(Minutes earlier)

"Gin?" Usopp questioned nervously. "Are you sure about this?"

"No," the man answered honestly, checking again to be sure his weapons were fully covered. He had all but raided Usopp's bag for every rubber band he could find and every one of them were now stretched around the weights his tonfa, insulating them. In theory, he should be able to hit Eneru now. "This is the crew of the Straw Hat Pirates," Gin continued. "Crazy and stupid plans are basically our motto."

"This might be the craziest, though," Usopp muttered. "It's even worse than the time Luffy tried to use himself as shark bait."

"You're the one how told him shark meat tasted better than regular meat."

"He believed me! Who does that?"

"Later," Gin finalized. In the distance, Eneru's powers surged, making him stand out to even the untrained eye. Gin backed up a few more steps, the suction cups on his shoes holding him on the deck.

"Donna, how's the wind?"

"15 miles per hour due East," the woman answered, her and Chopper hiding behind the mast. Sanji and Grace watched from the railing, neither of them speaking out against the man's insane stunt. "Are you really going to do this?"

"Now or never," Gin replied. "Fire!" With a snap, Usopp released the suction cup pads from the Man-Demon's shoes and the giant, makeshift slingshot Gin had forced him to set up shoved forward. One second Gin was there, the next he was gone.

"…You don't thing I killed him, do you?" Usopp muttered.

"He'll be fine?" Despite her words, Nami's voice didn't contain near as much optimism.

Meanwhile, Gin was learning what it was like to break the sound barrier, and it was not a pleasant experience. His captain and God were growing closer every second. With effort, Gin forced both of his weapons in front of his face and trusted Usopp's aim.

"HAAAAA!" He slammed into Eneru with a battle call, making the Devil Fruit user go flying away in a spray of blood. Most of his momentum transferred, Gin rolled to a stop.

"Gin!" Luffy called happily as the Man-Demon stood. "What are you doing here?"

"Please, Don," the man panted in response, his tonfa beginning to spin. "Let me fight God. I have to prove that you can depend on me. I have to prove that the _crew_ can depend on my. I failed the first time, let me make it right. And it's only appropriate that a demon be the one to take down God, isn't it?"

"Oh, two versus one, huh?" Eneru stood, brushing bits of Island Cloud off himself and spitting up a wad of red spit. "That just makes the victory over you meddlesome Blue Sea Dwellers that much sweeter."

"Go on, Gin," Luffy nodded, suddenly serious. "Coby said you had a plan."

"You stupid mortal," Eneru sighed as Gin shot forward. "Do you not remember the last-" Gin's right tonfa slammed into Eneru's face, shoving him into the cloud they were standing on.

"Overconfidence and arrogance are a dangerous combination," Gin growled. "They could cost you your life."

"First the boy and now you?!" Eneru cried. To believe that there was one person out there who could hit him without Sea Prism Stone was unbelievable, but finding two on the same day? That shouldn't be possible! "Just what are you?!"

"I'm a demon," Gin grunted, his headband shading his eyes. "I'm a demon in Heaven who's here to kill God."

"You insolent fool," Eneru tried to laugh off. "You think you have the power to kill a true God like me?!"

"I don't know if there is a true God," Gin responded. "If there is, I guess then there's a Devil, too. Tell him hello when you get to Hell so I can ask him where you are when I get there, too."

"You... you...!" Eneru couldn't think of something to say. Gin smiled and a shudder ran down God's back. The look in the pirate's eyes had changed. They'd been determined before, but when he smiled...

When he smiled, his eyes lost all sanity. It was like he was actually becoming a demon.

"You have threatened my Nakama," Gin began, a creepy grin stretching over his face. "You wish to destroy this land, killing us along with the natives. You have taken a friend hostage and have caused the deaths of many people. In the name of my captain, Monkey D. Luffy, the future King of the Pirates, I sentence you to death. May you rot in Hell." Gin shot forward.

Eneru's eyes widened as he jumped away from the man's first downward swing. There must be something wrong. He couldn't read this man's mind. Well, he could, but there was nothing there about what moves he was going to make.

 _Kill... smash... murder..._ _ **fun**_ _._

This human's mind was like nothing Eneru had ever thought possible. He was acting on instinct, but it was like there was some sort of supernatural force driving him. The man who claimed to be God only barely avoided this man's wild and unpredictable movements. If Eneru had had his staff, it would have been a different fight, but he'd left its broken pieces in the ruins of Shandora when the rubber-man had had a choke hold on him.

' _This is fun_ ,' Gin thought, his maniacal smile widening that much more as he finally caught Eneru's left arm with a spinning strike. The Logia cried out in pain, and it was music to the Man-Demon's ears. He loved it when his enemies screamed. He loved it when they begged for mercy or pleaded for their lives. They were so helpless. But that wasn't what he wanted. Oh, no! He wanted a fight! A real fight where he could beat his enemy, someone who had threatened his crew, into a pile of goo and flesh and broken bones.

Gin laughed madly and Eneru recoiled away from him. The things the lightning-man's Mantra was picking up from this man were terrifying.

"El Thor!" God yelled, firing a beam of blue lightning at the crazy pirate. Gin ducked around and rolled, avoiding the deadly attack without a shred of thought.

"Oh, yes!" Gin laughed, spinning around to hit Eneru in the stomach with his left tonfa. The Devil Fruit user doubled over, spitting blood on the white clouds they were standing on. Gin stomped on the man's back, pressing him flat into the Island Clouds.

"Ten Million Volt-" Eneru began. The Man-Demon didn't let him finish, slamming his right tonfa into the back of God's head. The Rubber bands forced the Logia back into his human state and dispersed the built-up electricity into the surroundings. Gin giggled happily as he felt the shock run through his body. Pain was _wonderful_.

"You little rat," Eneru spat.

"You won't be needing these where you're going~!" Gin all but sang. He brought his tonfa up and down before the Devil Fruit user could react and broke both rods holding the drums on Eneru's back. Gin smacked them away, leaving them to tumble off the edge of clouds.

It was slowly dawning on Eneru that this was a fight that he couldn't win.

"Please," he tried to beg. "I'll give you whatever you want! You want gold? I have plenty! Or women? You could have any of the women from Skypia! Or maybe you want the Golden Bellfree of Shandora? It can be yours!"

"If we want those," Gin smirked, leaning down so his breath brushed against God's ear, his rubber-covered tonfa pressed into the so-called God's back, "then we'll take them after you're dead."

"You!" Eneru locked his eyes on Luffy as Gin straightened back up. "You're this beast's master, right? Please, tell him to spare me!"

"Gin," Luffy said in an emotionless voice.

"Yes, Don?" Instantly, the man's battle craze receded until it was only a nagging itch in the back of his mind telling him to crush every bone in Eneru's body one by one.

"Do whatever you want."

"I want... to kill God!" Gin brought his tonfa down, pulverizing the Island Clouds below him. Eneru was staggering away several feet in front of him where he had used the last of his strength to zap forward and avoid the attack.

"The Endless Vearth," Eneru quietly cried, a single tear falling from his eye as he stretched an arm out toward the moon. He was empty and was lacking his weapon, his electric drums, and his Ark Maxim. All of them were too far away to be of any help, and without the Ark Maxim, he couldn't activate Deathpia or the Raigo. He had wasted his power on foolish shows during the death game and was drained.(1)

He was doomed.

"Oh, no you don't!" The Man-Demon chucked his right tonfa forward, the rubber-covered iron ball slamming into the back of Eneru's skull. There was a sickening crack as God went down. Gin shuffled unevenly toward his downed foe with a mad smirk, slowly increasing the speed of his remaining weapon.

Eneru was unconscious when Gin reached him.

Eneru was dead long before he left.

The pirate stood over what was left of the corpse of the man who had threatened to destroy the sky islands. Blood was everywhere; splattered over the clouds, dripping from the weapons, and staining Gin's clothes. Rationality slowly returned to the man's mind as he realized that he'd just revealed his darkest side in front of his captain.

"D-Don Luffy," Gin stuttered as his thoughts returned. He dropped his weapons and backed away from the mangled corpse. "You must hate me now."

"Why would I hate you?" Luffy questioned, moving toward his friend.

"No! Stay back! I'm a monster! You don't want me on the crew!"

"That's what Chopper said before he joined," the captain argued.

"Chopper didn't murder a man in cold blood," Gin whimpered. He'd tried so hard to keep his insanity in check. He'd given in when he felt Eneru's power, what if he gave in again?

"Would you murder the rest of the crew?"

"No!" Gin cried as if the very idea appalled him. "I would never!"

"Then we don't have a problem," Luffy smiled, holding his arm out to his crewmate. "But you might. I don't know how to get blood out of clothes." Gin laughed at the unintended dark humor as he took his captain's offered hand. Suddenly, Gin crumpled, all his adrenaline leaving his heavily-damaged body. He hadn't been recovered to begin with, so adding the strain of the fight and the fact that his demon-like state used up nearly all his energy left Gin with nothing to run on. Luffy threw the Man-Demon's arm around his shoulder and grabbed the man's weapons in his other hand before he began dragging his friend away.

Unbeknownst to them, there was a fruit several kilometers away changing shape...

 **End of Chapter 60**

* * *

 **1) I have my own theories about this and it is my own headcanon. I believe that Logias should not be able to create matter or energy from nothing whereby they break the first law of Alchemy. I've written an Omake describing all the specifics, but the basis of my theory is that Logia Fruits convert food eaten into whatever it is and store the energy or matter within the person's body, so Logias would not have an endless wellspring of their element. In this case, Eneru used up all of his stored electricity killing off Gan Fall's old guard and with his flashy power displays during the Survival Game.**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	61. The Sound of Peace

**Chapter 61:**

 **The Sound of Peace**

"Eneru's dead?" Usopp's question voiced the thoughts of the rest of the crew as they stared at their captain. It was about six o'clock and the battle had been over for nearly an hour. Gin, after having changed out of his blood-soaked clothing, was resting in the medical cabin while Chopper treated the survivors of Eneru's Survival Game, which turned out to be many more than Eneru would have expected including all of Wiper's lieutenents, Satori, Gedatsu, Olm and Holy (though they did not really compete), the Lord of the Sky, about a sixth of the guards, and about a fifth of the Shandorian attack force. Stories had been swapped by the victorious forces and everyone was now in the loop about what had happened with the exception of Gin's demon-like state. Luffy had chosen to omit that part of the story since it was Gin's decision to tell or not. Now, the group was situated on the east shore with the Merry docked next to the island. If one were to look very closely, they would see that the Merry's smile was _just_ a little wider than usual.

The Shandorian warriors who had not been part of the battle and the White Berets had both made their way to Upper Yard after seeing the lights from the fight with Eneru. While they had wanted to fight each other originally, the Shandorians had stood down after finding Wiper being treated by Chopper and the WBs stepped back on order of Gan Fall. Instead, he ordered them to search the island for Conis, whom they found chained to a giant ark in a cave on the back side of the island, before leaving for his homestead. Conis had been entrusted to the care of Laki to help her recuperate from the terrifying ordeal. Luckily, the Straw Hats had beaten the false God before anything too serious could happen to her.

"Hey, Robin?" Luffy asked just as tempers were rising between the two groups of old enemies. "You know where that golden bell is, right?"

"Golden bell?" Wiper demanded. "What do you know of the Golden bell?"

"Yes, I do," Robin told her captain. "The golden bellfree of Shandora is on one of the clouds floating around the top of Giant Jack."

"What are we waiting for? I'm gonna go ring it!"

"What right do you have to ring the Golden Bellfree of Shandora?" Wiper growled.

"It's no use arguing with him," Grace muttered.

"If he says he's going to do something, he does it," Usopp agreed.

"Besides," Coby butted in. "We met a man in the Blue Sea before we got here whose ancestor discovered Shandora before it was flung into the sky. He and the rest of his family have been trying to prove that he wasn't a liar over 400 years later. Captain Luffy wants to ring the bell to prove that the City of Gold he's looking for is in the sky."

Wiper paled. "What is the name of this man you met?"

"Montblanc Cricket," Robin answered. Tears rose in Wiper's eyes and he turned away to hide them.

"We," Wiper got out. "We know of this adventurer whom you speak of. Montblanc Noland was a friend of our greatest warrior, Kalgara."

"What a scene," Gan Fall chuckled as he and Pierre landed. With them was a bandaged Pagaya who ran to hug his daughter.

"Old Knight Guy!" Luffy shouted. "Take me to the top of the beanstalk!" As the captain talked with the former-now-once-again God, Pagaya and Conis approached Nami and the others.

"Oh, miss," Pagaya called. "Miss Nami? I brought you something." From behind his back, the Skypian produced a new, rebuilt waver. It was smaller than it had been, probably so he could carry it on the flight, and the handle now folded down over the base "While I was injured, I needed something to occupy my time. This was the result."

"Thank you, Pagaya." Nami accepted the gift with happy eyes.

"Be careful, though," the man warned. "Jet dials went extinct just over 200 years ago, yet there was one on this waver, so it is much more powerful than average."

"I'm going to ring that bell!" Luffy yelled happily, having apparently convinced Gan Fall to give him a ride up. "Who's coming with me?"

"I will go," Robin said. "It would be an archeologist's dream to see something like the bell."

"I will, too," Coby added.

"I must go," Wiper grunted. "As the descendent of the great warrior Kalgara, it is my duty to be there when the bell in rung once more."

"And I'm going to go get all that gold on the ark." Nami's eyes lit up as she said that. "Zoro, you're coming with me! I need a gold-cutting mule!"

"Damn witch..."

Just as they were leaving, Wiper ordered the other Shandorians to round up the living priests and to banish them to a drifting cloud. The White Berets made no argument.

* * *

"So this is it," Robin marveled. She, Luffy, Coby, Gan Fall and Pierre, Wiper, and the Shandorian chief stood before the Golden Bellfree of Shandora. In the center of the base was a Poniglyph, two of its corners overgrown with moss and vines. Robin stepped forward, her eyes greedily drinking in and deciphering the symbols engraved upon it, only for her smile to slowly slip away.

"Another dead end," she sighed. "This Poniglyph speaks of the Ancient Weapon Poseidon, not how to reach the Rio Poniglyph."

"What about this part?" Coby asked, pointing to the right of the stone where more symbols were engraved into the gold itself. Robin studied it, her eyes widening as she read it aloud.

 _"I made it here and I will guide this passage all the way to the farthest ends of the earth. The stormiest seas will not stop me. Pirate Gol D. Roger."_

"Oooh," Luffy awed. "Gold Roger was here! That's so cool!"

"Could it be?" Robin gasped. Everything had fallen into place. "Could it be that the previous Pirate King found the Rio Poniglyph and hid it with the One Piece?"

"Anyway," the young rubber-man waved off, not hearing Robin's mutterings, "I'm gonna go ring that bell!" He jumped up onto the bellfree and threw his arms backward. "Gum-Gum Singing Bazooka!" His hands collided with the side of the bell, shoving it away. Reaching the end of its upward movement, the relic let out a deep, reverberating chime that echoed throughout the sky and below. The bell swung back down, hitting Luffy on the way, and continued to ring.

"It's over," the Shandorian chieftain cried happily as Luffy crashed behind him. "We don't have to fight anymore."

* * *

"No! Impossible! Those stupid dreamers can't have been right!"

"Stop moving, Captain Bellamy! Your cuts from those giant praying manti were infected with some kind of bacteria! If you keep moving, I'll be forced to sedate you!"

"That stupid Straw Hat! It has to be a Lie! The Sky Islands don't exist!"

"Bellamy. We've been had. We gotta move on."

"No! Not until I'm certain! We're going to find that Sky Island as soon as I'm healed!"

* * *

The partying began that night, booze passing between the hands of Shandorians, Skypians, and pirates alike. Usopp and Chopper danced like no one was watching as Zoro chugged mug after mug. Grace dragged Coby onto the dance floor while her sister was distracted by flirting with all the warriors, though Amy only really got into the flirting after almost three-fourths of a casket of Skypian beer. (It had a lower alcohol content than its Blue Seas counterparts.). Luffy had stopped inhaling food for the moment since he had eaten everything available and Sanji was in the process of making more. Nami snuck over behind him and swiped his hat.

"Hey!" he called, chasing the girl as the others laughed before they returned to their own activities. Few of them noticed that the girl led her captain away from the festivities.

"Nami!" Luffy yelled as the Merry came within sight. "Give me back my hat!" The girl waved his treasure tauntingly as she jumped onto the deck of the ship. She wasn't worried about waking Gin since Chopper had said he wouldn't wake up for four days. Even by the Straw Hat standard, he still had a day and a half at least.

"You have to catch me first!" The navigator darted into the girls' bedroom as Luffy landed on the ship. He chased after his thieving girlfriend, throwing the door between them open.

The only lighting in the room was from a flickering candle acting as a substitute for the dying evening light. Nami was facing away from Luffy with his beloved hat on her head, the image causing Luffy to freeze as he started to hear his own heartbeat. She undid the last button on her beach shirt and tossed it aside, leaving her in her pants and bikini top.

"Nami-?"

"Shhhh," the girl whispered, suddenly in front of him. With her right hand pressing its pointer finger over the rubber-man's lips, her left shut the door to the outside world. "You were amazing out there, Luffy. You know that?"

"I'm not sure it was that amazing," Luffy responded bashfully, his face coloring as their close proximity drug up the memory of Usopp being forced to give him The Talk back in Alabasta.

"I think it was," Nami whispered huskily, rising onto her toes to be eye-to-eye with the Devil Fruit user. "I think you deserve a reward."

"Nami, are you sure about this?" The captain's heart was doing flips inside his chest, and his voice showed it.

"As sure as I'll ever be," Nami smiled. She closed the distance between them, catching Luffy in a passionate kiss as she dragged him further into the room. They didn't return to the party that night.

…Or that morning.

* * *

The party lasted four days and nights. Nami had been walking bowlegged on the second day, but she waved it off as twisting her ankle on a rock. Even with her lie, Robin's eyes told her that she knew what had happened. Amy also seemed to know, and she decided to keep the information as blackmail. Luffy remained unchanged save for the fact that he more-freely flirted with Nami in public and showed more displays of affection. This was, of course, after an extremely pissed-off Sanji kicked him for no reason and only "I felt like it," as an excuse.

Gin woke up on the second day and, though he was severely weakened from the fight, he refused to miss the fun and made due with a cane and a promise to Chopper to rest after they left. That day was actually interesting in more ways than one since Nami discovered a strange fruit in her tangerine trees. It was grey in color and shaped like a rain cloud with a yellow stem that zigzagged upward: The Rumble-Rumble Fruit. It was agreed that, though no one wanted to eat it, that they were _not_ going to throw it out or sell it.

On a side note, Amy was able to acquire a new umbrella, this one a little larger than her previous one had been but still a lemon-yellow color. She had Usopp replicate the upgrades he had done on the other, but this time a more-efficient breath dial was set into the joint where the pole met the cover.

The Straw Hats, Conis, and Sou snuck away on the fourth night with all the treasure they could find from the ruins, the Ark Maxim, and the belly of Nola the giant snake. Nami wanted to take the broken golden pillar from the bellfree, but even she couldn't will the Merry to bare tht much extra weight. Silently, they boarded the Merry, stashed the gold with their remaining loot from Gasparde and the Rainbow Mist, and sailed toward Cloud End with the Skypian girl following on her father's waver. Nami was still excited about their new treasure trove while Usopp had been able to acquire a large number of dials by trading his rubber bands to the awestruck Skypians. Not only did they think the rubber bands were extremely cool, but the Skypians all wanted an "artifact that helped destroy the evil God". The Southbird joined them at the last minute, crying about not leaving it behind by Chopper's translation.

"Be careful!" Conis called as the Merry began to tilt. "I'll call you a ride real quick!"

"Sou! Sou!"

"W-What is she talking about?" Usopp muttered, the Merry tilting that much more.

"I don't like this," Gin commented uneasily. "Do... Do we know what's below us?"

"Nope!" Luffy cheered. "Old Armor Guy said it was a mystery cliff!"

"That's not what he said at all!" Coby yelled. A shrill whistle echoed through the surrounding air as the Merry finished her tilting and began to slide down a steep cloud ramp. "Captain Luffy, I don't want to go down the mystery cliff!"

"Woooohooooo!" Luffy cheered over the sound of his crew's panicked screams. The Merry flew off the end of the ramp, staying airborne for several seconds, enough time for the entire crew to float away from the deck. Just as they began to fall, a giant octopus exploded from the side of the cumulorigalis cloud to catch the ship, its tentacles straining as its head filled with air to act like a parachute/balloon. The crew tumbled to the deck.

"Is everyone ok?" Zoro moaned, shoving Usopp off of his back. Everyone save for Gin gave an positive answer. Chopper answered for the injured man.

"Gin's knocked out!" the doctor called. "I think he hit his head on the fall! Luckily, it doesn't look too bad and he needed to sleep anyway. Help me move him into the medical bed." Lifting up the unconscious man, Zoro followed Chopper into the recovery room. Everyone else shrugged and settled in for the long haul, the beautiful ringing of the Golden Bellfree reverberated around them.

The journey downward, however, took longer than they thought it would. Night fell even before they could see the ocean. Luckily, everyone managed find something to do.

Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp played tag on the deck while Zoro and Coby went inside to train. Usopp had agreed to give up some dials that would be useful for cooking, so Sanji and Amy were in the kitchen getting acquainted with those. Grace was on her third painting of the Sky Islands; having already finished Angel Island and the Upper Yard forest, she was working on the Ruins of Shandora. Nami sat next to her, writing in the logbook before getting started a map of the islands. Robin was reading several books she received from some of the Skypians on the histories of the islands. Gin was still sleeping, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit on his bedside so he could be a last line of defense if someone attacked them.

The octopus slowly deflated as the Blue Sea drew closer, finally losing the last of its air about 300 meters up. It probably would have deflated faster if Luffy had jumped on it like a trampoline like he had wanted to, but Nami had reeled him in with the argument the Merry probably wouldn't be able to handle that much speed if it popped. Either way, their landing was still sudden as they splashed down in the center of an extinct volcano.

"Ow," Usopp whined, holding his head from where he'd crashed into the mast upon landing. Chopper's fall was cushioned by the sniper's body.

"Amy-Chan!" Sanji called from the kitchen. It seemed that she'd fallen through the floor again like she had during the Dead End Race, having increased her mass to keep her feet on the floor. She was only a little bruised. Her sister, however, was disappointed as the fall had caused her to spill red paint on her painting of the ruins, the paint appearing to look like fresh blood.

"Is everyone alright?" Coby asked as he and his master stepped out from below deck. Everyone, save for Gin, called an affirmative to show that they were all more-or-less unharmed.

That was before the spotlights began to center on the Merry.

 **End of Chapter 61**

* * *

 **IMPORTANT NOTICE!**

 **Yes, this next arc will be a short filler arc from the anime: G-8. DO NOT SKIP IT. Important things will happen, and by important, I mean Important with a capital I. So for those of you who don't like the fillers, sorry but you gotta. That is all.**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	62. The Ship's Spirit

**Fast fact, everyone! G-8, or Navarone, appeared in the world of One Piece before this arc! I actually mentioned it in a previous chapter and it just goes to show you the weird paths of the Grand Line. Navarone was the Marine base in the Dead End Adventure movie (revealed when Sanji pulled off the fake label after getting there). Who knew?**

* * *

 **Chapter 62:**

 **The Ship's Spirit Speaks**

 _"Is everyone alright?" Coby asked as he and his master stepped out from below deck. Everyone, save for Gin, called an affirmative to show that they were all more-or-less unharmed._

 _That was before the spotlights began to center on the Merry._

"We have you surrounded," a marine called through the base's loudspeaker. "Surrender, Straw Hat Pirates!"

"Scatter!" Luffy ordered, every member of the crew running to jump overboard and hide in the cover of night. "We'll meet back up later!" Luffy stayed to be the last one aboard before saying, "Merry, watch after Gin." Stretching his arms for a Gum-Gum Rocket, Luffy, too, abandoned ship. He didn't know why, but he just knew that the injured man would be fine.

He never heard the quiet, "yes, Captain," that followed his order. Each of the Straw Hats unable to swim teamed up with someone who could, Amy and Luffy being the exceptions as she could float and he was the last to leave. Grace and Chopper teamed up, as did Robin and Usopp, and Coby and Zoro. Nami escaped on her waver.

With everyone gone, Merry allowed herself to take shape, becoming something like a ghost. She had no color, appearing as a wisp of almost fog-like construction so that only her outline could be made out. Bustling about to prepare before the marines arrived, she locked the doors and moved Gin and the Rumble-Rumble Devil Fruit into a closet. With the man in a deep sleep, he never noticed. Merry then covered the closet in rope and extra boards to give it the appearance of being unused. Hopefully, that would hide him well-enough. With a giggle, Merry dispersed herself as the first marines began boarding. They just got a glimpse of her as they came over the railing.

"Keep going," a man ordered from farther down a latter.

"Oh, sorry," the man above him apologized. "I thought I saw something." With lackadaisical efficiency, the marines of G-8 covered the ship in caution tape and began taking pictures of everything as if it were a crime scene. The kitchen with a hole in the floor and Luffy's, Zoro's, Gin's, and Coby's wanted posters on the wall, the training room with its weights scattered by the fall, even the books that had fallen off Robin's bookshelf, yet they didn't notice Gin's hiding spot.

"There's no one here," a marine muttered, whether he was disappointed or relieved was unknown.

"Don't let your guard down!" A man with large, brown sideburns climbed up next. He was tall, well-defined, and held himself with an air of authority.

"Yes, Commander Drake!"

"Oh, calm down," a new, quieter voice chuckled. The next man had ginger hair on top of his head and down his sideburns, but his large mustache and eyebrows were more of a dark brown. The men identified him as Vice-Admiral Jonathan, saluting him as he stepped on deck. He smiled, inspecting the ship. "This kitchen is well-maintained," he noted, lifting one of Sanji's knifes.

"We have found medical texts and history books!" a marine reported, another dropping said books on the table. "Several of them are in other languages, however."

"Is that blood?" The terrified marine was pointing to Grace's fallen picture of the ruins, the spilled, red paint from the fall coloring the ruins a frightening blood red.

"Gold, sir!" another called, showing the man a handful of the ancient relics from Shandora.

"Interesting," Jonathan nodded, "but you have found no crewmembers?"

"None, sir."

"Then this appears to be a ghost ship."

GYOOO~

"Ahhh!" several men screamed. It took Merry all her power not to laugh.

"Calm down," Jonathan waved off, spotting the bird on the mast's crossbeam as he stepped onto the deck proper. "It's a Southbird, an avian native to the island of Jaya. These beans," he indicated a package of coffee beans he had swiped from the kitchen, "are from there as well."

Glancing away from the higher-ranked marines, Merry was quick enough to see that one had taken note of the closet where she had hidden the sleeping Gin. She acted.

"Baahahaha!" she laughed, loud enough that the men heard her while making sure it echoed from within the ship.

"Who's there?!" Commander Drake demanded, unsheathing his sword.

"Who dares wake the undead crew of the evil Captain Luffy?" Merry called, trying to copy the voice used by Rapanui within the Rainbow Mist. "Be gone! Lest the very ship you stand upon attack you! For to become part of the crew is to become part of the ship! If you stay, you'll stay in the Locker!"

"Ahhh!" Several of the newer marines jumped overboard.

"Who are you?!" Drake demanded again. "Show yourself!"

"Something touched me!" Merry darted away before she could be seen, fading into the woodwork as the men scrambled about to catch something that wasn't there anymore. Lines of rope from the rigging swung down from the sails, half a dozen lines grabbing a marine grunt and hurling him over the side and into the ocean below.

"That gold must have been cursed!" a particularly superstitious marine cried. He dove off the ship as well when Merry took her chance and reached out toward him with her ghostly hands, only her arms appearing from the wall in a way that no others saw.

"Men, go back to the base," Jonathan ordered. The marines didn't waste any time as they disembarked hastily.

"Commander?" Drake questioned when he and the vice-admiral were the last ones on the ship.

"Go on. I'm going to stay here for a little bit. I haven't been able to fish from a caravel since I signed up for the Marines."

"Be careful, sir," Drake told him. "This thing gives me the creeps." With that last statement and a wary glance at the ship, the lieutenant commander disembarked as well. Pulling out a fishing rod, Jonathan cast it out and leaned against the railing.

"Was that really necessary?" he asked, certain that someone or something could hear him. There was silence for a minute, broken only by the haunting groaning of the ship as Merry tried to scare him off. The man decided to try a different approach. "I've never met a Wood Fairy before."

"...So you know what I am," Merry sighed, her outline stepping out from behind the mast as the creepy groaning stopped. "That takes the fun out of it."

"So I was right," Jonathan didn't turn around, his eyes still set on the bobber in the water. "I've heard the rumors. They say that Wood Fairies only appear on well-loved ships. What is your name?"

"I'm the Going Merry," the Wood Fairy answered with a smile, "but you can call me Merry."

"Well, Merry, what do you think of the Straw Hat Pirates?"

"The Straw Hats are a wonderful family and we've have so many adventures. Did you know we saved a good kingdom right after toppling a bad one before? It was awesome! ...Unfortunately, I feel like my journey with them is coming to an end."

"You _are_ pretty beaten up, aren't you."

"I'm just a caravel from the East Blue," the ship spirit sighed sadly. "I wasn't meant for the Grand Line. I've done my best for my family and we've seen so many amazing things."

"Then why would they abandon you?"

"They'll be back," Merry stated defensively. "The captain trusts me to be safe."

"So Straw Hat Luffy knows about you?"

"Well, no," the fairy answered awkwardly. "You're actually the first person I've even had a real conversation with. Uncle Usopp fainted."

Raising an eyebrow at the use of the term "uncle", Jonathan chose to ask a different question. "You say they trust you, yet they don't know about you?"

"Uncle Usopp and the others talk to me sometimes when no one else is around. I've never responded for fear of their reaction."

"And you don't wish to reveal yourself?"

"My life is almost over." Merry's voice cracked, a single tear sliding down her face. "If I show myself, I'm afraid the others won't be able to let me go to continue their adventure. They're that kind of people."

"Tell me, have you ever encountered a Marine ship with a Wood Fairy?"

"I'm afraid not." Merry shook her head, even if the marine couldn't see. "In fact, I don't think I've ever sensed another complete Wood Fairy. There were a couple partial ones in Jaya, but they couldn't even speak yet."

"I wonder, why is it that Wood Fairies seem to only appear on pirate vessels? Is it because they are used more? Or is it because it becomes their home?"

"What point are you trying to make? Because if you threaten my family, I will attack you right here."

"Calm yourself," Jonathan placated. "G-8 hasn't seen any action in the past three months. I'm hoping this lasts for a while. Besides, now that I know this ship is alive, I can't very well burn it in good conscious."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"This is a game," he responded. "Good versus bad, Marines versus pirates. If the pirates escape, they win. If they don't, the Marines win. With a known collective bounty of 200 million, G-8's image won't be harmed if you all get away." The man felt a tug on his rod.

"So you're giving us a chance to escape?" Merry asked.

"That makes it more fun, doesn't it?" Finally pulling in his line, Jonathan was disappointed to find it empty.

"Then, on behalf of my crew, I accept your challenge. I have faith that we will win this game of yours."

"Good. I'll have to warn you, though. I'll have my men tow you to dock 88. Standard procedure and all that."

"Of course. Just don't expect me to not help my family when I can."

"It's not like I can chain you up," Jonathan laughed, packing away his rod and finally turning to see the spirit. "One more question. Why did you all invade Navarone?"

Merry smiled, no teeth showing on her ghostly appearance. "We didn't."

* * *

Chopper, with Grace on his back, ran through the forest in his Walk Point, avoiding the spotlights. The girl was inspecting her paints, being sure that her waterproof caps had not come loose while she had drug the reindeer through the water. Scowling, she threw away her red paint, muttering about a waste of good crimson.

"Why did we end up here?!" the doctor cried hysterically.

* * *

"Come on, Shrimp," Zoro muttered, keeping his voice down as he slapped the younger man's back. With a cough, the Zoan type returned to consciousness, rolling over to spit out the last of the water from his lungs.

"Thanks, Zoro-sensei."

"No time for that now," the green-haired man told his student, slinging him over his shoulder in a fireman carry. "We're heading to the woods."

"Uh, Zoro-sensei? You're headed toward the Marine base."

"Dammit. They must have rotated everything."

* * *

Slinking through the tall grass, Nami eyed Navarone. Her waver was well hidden, but a rocky outcropping revealed where she had stashed it.

"Damn it," she cursed. "Those bastards better not touch any of my money or I swear to Goda..." Leaving the threat to hang, Nami headed toward the base.

* * *

"This is one big base," Amy said to herself, floating above the relatively-small island. Even from that height, the blonde could make out some of her crewmates as they hid throughout the area. Continent with where she was, the teen relaxed to watch everything play out. She didn't have a bounty and she wasn't going to go out of her way to get one. Nodding, Amy decided to only step in if she thought someone needed her help.

"It's just one thing after another with this crew. Kyahahaha!"

 **End of Chapter 62**

* * *

 **Crew Confusion:**

 **Jobs**

(Set after Alabasta)

It was an average day aboard the Going Merry, or at least, as average as a band of pirates like the Straw Hats, who were sailing through some of the strangest waters in the world, could get. For once, the sea was calm if a little shaded from the cloud cover, but Nami had assured the crew that there was nothing dangerous about the fluffy, white clouds hanging in the sky. The wind blew softly, doing nothing but sending a shiver down the backs of the members who wore less clothing every now and then. The ship itself rocked gently, almost as if it were sailing itself through the calm weather. Every few minutes, a Sea King would breach, but those giants stayed clear of the pirate ship; it was too small to even be a snack for them.

"Hey, Captain Luffy?" Coby yawned, the sweaty boy leaning against the mast after another grueling training session with his sadistic teacher. They had only gotten worst for the pink-haired boy after he ate his Zoan Devil Fruit since Zoans were notorious for having amazing composition and durability, something that Zoro took full advantage of when playing wi- I mean, training his young punching ba- I mean, student. "Captain Luffy?"

"What?" the captain blinked, having not heard Coby the first time from where he was seated on his self-declared "captain's seat".

"I have a question."

"Ok."

"What's my position?" Luffy opened his mouth immediately- "And don't just say I'm Nakama." -and closed it, a confused look on his face.

"...What position do you want?" the raven-haired teen finally asked.

"That's not for me to decide." Coby shook his head. If he had glanced around, he would have noticed that Gin, Amy, and Grace were now eavesdropping on the conversation. "You're the captain. I mean, we know that Zoro-sensei is the first mate, Nami is the navigator, Usopp is the sniper, Sanji is the cook, and that Chopper is the doctor, but what role do I have besides being a fighter? And what about the others?"

"Hmmm," Luffy hummed. "Well, obviously Grace is our artist," he began, "and Amy helps Sanji in the kitchen, so she's our assistant cook. And Robin is an arco-whatsit, so that's what she does. Uhh..." He trailed off. "Hey, Gin!"

"Yes, Don?"

"What position did you have on your last crew?" Luffy asked.

Gin blinked. "I was the second mate and the chief-of-staff," the Man-Demon answered. "I guess I was also the treasurer since I paid all of the deckhands that I hired, being the chief-of-staff and all."

"Then you're the official Straw Hat chief-of-staff from now on!" Luffy declared. "You don't have to hire anyone, though. And Nami's already the treasurer."

"Good enough for me," the man shrugged, flinching as the yelling voices of Zoro and Sanji carried over from the other side of the ship. "You know what?" he sighed. "I guess it's now my job to break up fights. I'll go deal with those two." He wandered off.

"Captain," Coby all but whined. "You still haven't answered my question."

"And what was it again?" Luffy asked with a sheepish grin. "I forgot."

"What position do I hold on this crew?"

"Oh, that's easy!" Luffy laughed. "Shishishi! You're the cabin boy!"

...

...

...

"GODA DAMMIT!"

 **Fin**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	63. Navarone

***Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me! I'm 19 years old todaaaay! Happy birthday to me!***

 **If you couldn't tell by my terrible singing (though you can't hear it), today is my 19th birthday, and so I'm giving you all an extra chapter to celbrate! I hope you all like this, I know I liked writing it.**

* * *

 **Chapter 63:**

 **Navarone, the Base of G-8**

"Wait, Zoro-sensei," Coby tried to reason, failing at slowing his teacher even as he ground his sandals into the floor. They were wandering around G-8's base without rhyme or reason and they were lucky they hadn't been caught yet.

"Did you hear?" a voice asked, echoing from around an upcoming corner. "That ghost ship in the lake is the boat of the Straw Hat Pirates."

"You mean the one with the famous bounty hunter on it?" another voice responded.

"Yeah, Roranoa Zoro. They say he fights with three swords at once, but you know, if I meet him, I'll give him a piece of my mind and show him the strength of G-8!"

"They say he has a student, too," the second voice mused.

"I'm seen the wanted posters; the kid's got pink hair," the first voiced laughed, both of them now getting further away. "Sounds like a girly-ass pansy to me, even if he does have a Zoan Fruit."

"I'll teach him to laugh at my student," Zoro growled, stepping out into a corridor.

"Zoro?" Nami questioned. She was dressed in a Marine uniform and had been mopping the floors, hiding in plain sight. "Coby?"

"Oh. Hey, Nami," Zoro grunted.

"Don't you 'Hey, Nami' me," the navigator hissed. "Are you trying to get caught?" Rather than give the man or his student time to answer, the girl drug both of them by their ears to a balcony. Quickly, she swiped all three of Zoro's swords and dropped them on a bush on the other side of the railing.

"What'd you do that for?!" Zoro demanded, leaning over the side the try to reach them.

"You're the only known user of Three Sword Style," Nami grunted. "Carrying around three swords makes you more obvious than the picture on your wanted poster."

"Shrimp, help me!" Coby shuffled over to the railing, taking his master's hand to lower him further toward the swords. The blades, as if in response, tumbled just a little bit lower.

"Dammit," Zoro growled. Grabbing Coby by a leg, the man jumped over the raining, one hand holding his upside-down student and the other holding the railing.

"Hey, girl," a voice grunted. Nami tensed and slowly turned to meet the gaze of two men in chef wear. "Can you lead us to the kitchens?"

"Oh, sure," Nami panicked, leaving the swordsmen to their own devices. Not ten seconds later, Zoro lost his grip on the railing, him and his student tumbling down the cliffside and into the water. Coby was immediately powerless, so Zoro was forced to not only retrieve all three of his swords alone, but also drag Coby upward with his teeth.

As soon as he broke the surface, he was careful to pull the young teen's face out of the water, even as all the marines in the boats surrounding them aimed their guns.

"Pirate Hunter Zoro and Tri-Horn Coby," Jonathan smiled. "Welcome to Navarone."

"... Damn."

* * *

"Are you two the new chefs they sent from Marijois?" the woman questioned, eyeing Sanji and Luffy with contempt. The captain and cook had run into each other and disguised themselves as chefs to try to blend in in the kitchen, but it was apparent that the Head Chef, Jessica, had mistaken them for some others. They chose not to correct her.

Jessica was a woman with short blonde hair dressed in stereotypical cook clothing that hugged her figure. A wedding ring almost imperceptibly glinted on her left hand.

"And if we are?" Sanji questioned, lighting a cigarette.

"They're the ones who called G-8 a backwater base!"

"Saying we only put out sub-par meals!"

"Arrogant assholes claiming they're doing us a favor!"

"I don't care if you're a man who has cooked for the Fleet Admiral, the Pirate King, or the Celestial Dragons," Jessica growled, cutting off her men, "if you don't pass my test, I will personally feed you to the fishes. Now listen up! We've got several hundred marines to feed and if my food is better than yours, I'm kicking you out of my kitchen."

"Is that a challenge, mademoiselle?"

"100 meals each," the woman affirmed. "The marines will decide the winner." The cooks bustled about, using only the best parts of the ingredients and piling the rest on a table. Soon, they finished, all 100 meals laid out over two tables in the dining hall. Luffy stared, drooling.

"How wasteful," Sanji muttered, staring at the bones and leftovers of the ingredients. Pulling several knifes off a rack, the cook set about pulverizing the leftover fish and turning the vegetable skins into a sauce, spouting cooking facts and tips along the way. In half the time it had taken almost 20 other cooks, the single, disguised, pirate chef finished his own plates with a flurry for the audience that had amassed.

"You have to use everything you can out on the seas," Sanji told them as the marines who had been watching surged forward to eat, Luffy among them. "While flavor is important, you never know what the sea will throw at you, so you have to make your stores last. That is our duty as chefs of the high seas. An old geezer taught me that a long time ago."

* * *

Vice-Admiral Jonathan sat in his office, idly swinging his fishing rod and pondering what the spirit of the Straw Hats' ship had told him. He'd heard of the Sky Islands, but to think that they were real was just short of preposterous. Even so, that was the reason Merry gave for them landing in G-8. They had been leaving the Sky Island, or Skypia as Merry had called it, using an octopus as a balloon, but an air current had blown them off course.

Still, it was a marine's job to capture pirates, whether their meeting was an accident or on purpose.

"Monkey D. Luffy," Jonathan mused, glancing at his chess board where several pieces were placed strategically. "It's your move."

* * *

"We're chasing what now?"

"A girl and a racoon-dog," the marine sighed for the third time. "We don't know who they are and, with the battleships Commander Jonathan let in, there are a lot of unknown people running around. Even so, none of the ships should have any young girls or pets, so we've been told to treat these two as hostiles."

"I think I saw them go that way!" a marine with a goofy grin on his face called, pointing down a hallway. The others took off and rounded the corner at the end.

"Thank you," Grace smiled from the other end of the hallway, the back of the man's Marine uniform stained with yellow-green paint.

"Anything for a friend."

"Alright. Then please keep them off our tail."

"Sure thing!" the man responded, running off. Grace and Chopper went the other way, slinking down corridors and peeking around corners until they came across the medical ward which was quickly filling as the injured from the battleships that had docked were rushed in.

"Patients," Chopper whispered.

"Let's go, Chopper," Grace insisted. "It's not our problem."

"It's my sworn duty as a doctor to treat the injured," the reindeer rebuffed.

"You and your sense of duty," Grace whined. "How are you going to disguise yourself?" Chopper quickly took in their surroundings, discovering a closet with unused lab coats.

"This will do," Chopper stated, shifting into his Heavy Point and donning a coat and a pair of glasses with a fake mustache (that were there for some reason). "Here, put this on."

"That sounds like work," the girl complained as the pink nurse uniform landed on her head.

"Just do it," Chopper ordered. Grace sighed before covering her ordinary clothes with the slightly-too-big uniform. Normally, Chopper was the shortest member of the crew, but when he went into his Heavy Point, he became taller than as Grace. They approached the medical ward.

"No," a woman's voice denied from inside, "I can't do it! I'm a children's doctor, not a surgeon!"

"These patients need you," a nurse insisted. "They need someone."

Chopper barged in and instantly began barking out orders. It took a second for the surprised nurses to react, but they moved to answer his demands. "And get the critically injured prepped for surgery," Chopper finished.

"Chopper?" Nami questioned, now in a nurse's outfit. "Grace? What are you two doing here?"

"This guy just had to save the marines," Grace huffed, "and I don't know where my big sister is."

"I-I don't know who you are," the head doctor, a thin woman with purple hair, got out, "but I'm glad you showed up when you did. I can't stand the sight of blood."

"You're a doctor and you can't stand a little blood?" Nami asked incredulously.

"I'm technically a children's physician," the woman responded, "but due to several factors, I'm the only doctor here right now."

"Listen, Dr..." Chopper trailed off.

"Kabato."

"Dr. Kabato," the reindeer continued. "My teacher use to tell me a story when I was her apprentice.

"There was one a man whose doctors told him he had an incurable disease and that he didn't have long to live. Distressed by this, the man set out to see the world and try to find a cure. One day, on a mountain pass, the man found himself surrounded by beautiful cherry blossoms. When next he went to the doctors, they told him that his disease was miraculously cured.

"The moral of this story is that nothing is incurable, you just have to find the right cure." (1)

"Doctor!" the nurses called. "The patients are prepped."

"Do you think I can show those men the cherry blossoms?" Dr. Kabato whispered.

"Only if you can find your own first," Chopper replied. "Nami, Grace, let's go."

"You want us to help?" Nami questioned. She knew nothing about surgery.

"More work?" Grace whined.

"I'll tell you what to do, come on."

"Yes," Dr. Kabato added, steeling herself. "Let's go."

* * *

"I'll ask you one more time," Drake growled, hoisting Zoro up by his head. "Why are you pirates here?"

"I told you," the swordsman spat back. "We fell from the sky. We didn't mean to land here."

"If you keep lying, your student here is going to suffer."

"I can't tell if you're playing the bad cop or if you're actually going to hit me," Coby snarked before blinking. "Goda, Captain Luffy is rubbing off on me."

Zoro barked out a laugh. "That was a good one, Shrimp!"

"Do you pirate scum ever take anything seriously?" Drake demanded, lifting Coby up by his neck. The Sea Prism Stone chains clattered as the young ex-marine-hopeful was lifted up until he was eye-to-eye with the officer who was a whole head taller than him.

"Very rarely," the rosette got out. "I blame our captain."

"Luffy doesn't care about much," Zoro agreed. "I've seen him serious two times: before beating Arlong and before beating God."

"What's this about beating God?" Drake questioned, dropping Coby with a thump and a rattle.

"Was it five days ago?" Zoro asked, turning his eyes to his pupil who was trying to sit up through the weakness caused by the chains. Coby shook his head, unable to see clearly without his powers or glasses.

"Yes, Zoro-sensei. We killed God Eneru five days ago. We spent four of those partying with the angles."

"Do you two filthy pirates really expect me to believe that your captain actually killed God?"

"It wasn't our captain," Zoro corrected with a smirk. "It was our tattoo artist." Drake scowled as he kicked the man in the stomach, forcing the air out of him. Zoro wheezed, preparing for the next blow, but it never came.

"Commander Drake!" a marine called, running down to salute by the cell. "An unknown doctor is performing surgery on the wounded marines from the battleships."

"Then is seems we've found our third Straw Hat," Drake smirked.

* * *

"Ugh," Gin groaned, swimming into consciousness. His back was stiff and several somethings were poking him. Opening his eyes, the Man-Demon found himself stuffed in a closet with a sliver of light flowing in from the top of the door. On the shelf to his left, just within the range of the beam of light, was the Rumble-Rumble Fruit they'd acquired. Why he was in a closet, Gin had no idea. There were several scared voices outside.

"Have you heard what they were saying about this ship? Rob told me there were ghosts haunting it."

"Don't say that," the man's partner snapped. "You know I hate ghosts."

"I heard," the first man continued, "that the spirits reached for Shuko and tried to drag him to the Underworld."

"Stop it, John!" In response, 'John' laughed. "Have you gotten word from the guys in charge of getting the gold from the storage rooms?"

"Yeah. They have this big sheet they're trying to fill so they don't have to make as many trips, but they keep claiming that the treasure moves back to the pile as soon as they turn their backs. I think they're just being lazy."

"Maybe the gold really is cursed," the second voice shivered.

Coming back to his senses, Gin tried to stand from where he was leaning on the shelves, but the shelves weren't sturdy enough and gave out under the extra force. The Man-Demon tumbled to the floor with several mops, brooms, and likewise falling on him. The Devil Fruit landed on his chest as the voices outside went quiet.

"…What was that?" the unknown voice asked fearfully.

"I think it came from over here," 'John' replied. Two pairs of footsteps started approaching.

'Shit,' Gin cursed inwardly. He didn't have his tonfa and had no idea who the guys outside were. And they apparently had friends trying to steal the Donna's gold. The men drawing closer had to be either marines or rival pirates who had boarded their ship. By what they said, it was likely that all, except for maybe one, of his crewmates weren't on board. He was unarmed, injured, and alone. There was nothing-

Wait! The Devil Fruit! He could... No. Gin shook his head. What if he went crazy like Eneru had, drunk on nearly-limitless power? However, the men were still growing closer and Logia powers were looking really good right about now.

The doorknob rattled; the door must have been locked. Holding the powerful Fruit up to his face, Gin decided to give in to the temptation; there seemed to be no other option and, in the worst-case scenario, he would join his friends in the realm of the dead.

"Don Luffy will keep me in check," Gin whispered to himself. The pirate bit into the forbidden Fruit just as the lock shattered and the door opened.

 **End of Chapter 63**

* * *

1) Don't ask me how this works. I have no idea why that story was so inspirational, but whatever works.

 **Cliffhanger, anyone? Thoughts? Feelings? Are you excited? Let me know!**

 **-Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	64. Power Surge

**Chapter 64:**

 **Power Surge**

"The eighth branch of Marine Headquarters," Robin commented, her and Usopp observing the base from an upper ridge. "Although it's official name is G-8, it is usually referred to as Navarone."

"Where's the Merry?" Usopp asked frantically, scouring the lake with a pair of binoculars for a ship out of sight. "What have they done to my precious Merry? If they damage her, I swear I'll kill every last one of them!"

"Calm down, Long-Nose," Robin ordered. "Our lives are more important than the ship right now."

"No they aren't!" Usopp argued. "I'd die for that ship! If you don't care about her, then I'm going to go find her on my own!" The sniper stormed off, only stopping when a dozen of Robin's arms sprouted from a nearby tree, bending the teen into its shape just as a quartet of marines appeared.

"Find anything?" the marine in the lead asked. He was met with negative answers. "Remember, that ship is the ship of the Straw Hat Pirates, and it's our job to find them! They're somewhere in the base. Move out!" The arms vanished as the men moved out of earshot and, though he was still mad at her, Usopp muttered a quick thank you before storming off.

* * *

"Hello, Straw Hat Luffy," Jonathan greeted, his fork preventing the pirate's stretchy arm from snatching the meatball it had skewered, the final bit of food on the plate. "To what do I owe the honor of having such an infamous man inside my base?"

Luffy sighed and released the meatball. "Luck," he answered honestly. "We fell from the sky and this is where we landed. I like the food here, by the way."

"I'm glad you approve," the marine commented, eyeing the pirate captain dressed as a cook. "If it was your chef that cooked this, and I suspect it was, then you eat better than some admirals."

"Yeah, but I don't think they get kicked when they try to raid the fridge." Against his own wishes, Jonathan laughed. "I like you," Luffy smiled. "You remind me of Smokey."

"I take that to mean that you've met Marine Captain Smoker?"

"Yeah, he's a funny guy. He let me go in Alabasta so I could kick Crocodile's ass for trying to ruin the country." Realizing what he'd just said and what that information could do, Luffy swiftly covered his mouth.

"I thought as much," Jonathan sighed. "I hope you know, I can't give you the same luxury that Smoker did. My men will catch your crew. As a matter of fact, Pirate Hunter Zoro and Tri-Horn Coby have both been captured already."

"Where are a my Nakama?" Luffy demanded, some sort of pressure appearing in the room.

"I can't tell you that," Jonathan chuckled. "It would speed up the game too much." Luffy moved to argue, but Sanji's arm reached in and dragged the rubber-man out of the room. They turned away to run, but the staff of the entire kitchen was waiting for them in the wall, knifes brandished.

"It's a shame," Jessica commented as her husband stepped out of the room behind the pirates. "To think an amazing chef like you would waste your life as a pirate." The tension was mounting, only to be broken by the doors of the dining hall opening and releasing a wave of hungry marines that obscured the view of the pirates. Taking their chance, Luffy and Sanji bolted out the door and down the halls.

"They're getting away!" Jessica yelled, her voice being lost in the murmur of hungry men.

"Calm down, dear," Jonathan chuckled, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders. "We'll get them. For now, I want to try some of that pirate chef's cooking. Straw Hat stole most of my meal."

* * *

"What a dump!" the Marine Inspector muttered, eyeing the docks of G-8 as he disembarked from one of the battleships. Sunglasses rested on the bridge of the man's sharp nose and his brown hair was just long enough to be in a small rat-tail. It was quite possible he was related to Nazumi in some way. "To think I weathered a storm to come to this backwater trash field. You there! Call your commander immediately and tell him that Marine Inspector Sheppard of Marine HQ is here. I wish to speak with him ASAP."

"That will be fine, sir," the marine replied, "but I'm going to have to verify your name and rank beforehand."

"That's preposterous! Call your commander and I'll talk to him myself."

"That won't do," the man sheepishly responded. "I'm afraid this is the hour Commander Jonathan usually takes off for lunch, so he's probably in the dining hall."

"Then call the dining hall," Sheppard demanded as if it were the most logical thing in the world.

"No can do! Don't you know the G-8 creed?"

Sheppard blinked. "You have a creed?" Every man in the vicinity snapped to attention.

"Rule one: always wash your hands before meals!" they chanted as one. "Rule two: never leave food on your plate! Rule three: never discuss work in the dining hall! Rule four: when brushing your teeth-"

"I don't give a shit!" Sheppard snapped, cutting them off. "Never mind. I'll go find your Commander Jonathan on my own. And you, sailor; I hope you start working out a creed to keep in jail after you've been court-martialed!" The man stormed off, muttering about what would happen to the captain of this base after he handed in his report. He entered a dark passage into the base, so no one noticed when multiple arms pinned the man and forced him into unconsciousness.

"Marine Inspector Sheppard," Robin mused, studying the ID she'd taken from the man. "Yes, you'll do nicely."

* * *

Merry had done her best to be disagreeable with the marines that towed her to dock 88, scaring each and every one of them so much that they hadn't wanted to stick around to pull her out of the water. Most of the marines had fled as soon as her hull touched the concrete of the dock floor, leaving the so-called ghost ship to bob in the water without pulling her onto the dry platform.

Still, some of the newbies had been ordered to stay on her to guard the ship from its crew, leaving Merry preoccupied with the duo trying to steal their gold. Two marines had brought a tarp with the intention of hauling up the gold in great piles, three or four trips maximum, but Merry wasn't going to have any of that. Whenever they moved back to the pile of gold, Merry would shift the gold back to where it had been. Angered and confused, th marines still wouldn't give up and kept restarting. Merry kept silently, and sometimes not-so-silently, snickering at them until she felt a familiar presence on the ground.

Usopp, knowing none of this and dressed in a Marine uniform, had made his way to the dock and was staring up at the Merry with tears in his eyes. He jumped, however, when an old man with white hair and a bushy moustache/beard stepped up next to him.

"She's a fine ship, isn't she?" the man asked, surprising Usopp. "She's a caravel and she's seen a lot of action, too. Caravels can hold their own with the best of them, even if they're an older model. And she's loved. Those patch jobs are well-done, no matter how rushed they may seem."

"You can tell all that just by looking at her?" Usopp marveled.

"It doesn't matter to me if it's a Marine ship or a pirate ship if it's a beautiful vessel. Marines nowadays seem to think it's their job to wreck every nice ship they get."

"Hold it!" Lieutenant Drake ordered, a slew of marines behind him. "Hey, you! What unit are you in?"

"Unit 18?" Usopp's answer wasn't supposed to be a question.

"A sniper, then," Drake stated. "Are you stupid or something? Don't you know that only maintenance personnel are allowed on the docks when repairing ships?"

"Sorry, sir," Usopp apologized quickly. "Us snipers are pretty forgetful. I'll be going now!" Usopp turned, only to find four swords pointed at his neck.

"Unit 18 is a supply unit, not a sniper unit. You aren't going anywhere, Straw Hat Pirate."

"Now wait just a damn minute!" the old man yelled. "You know that these docks are basically sacred ground to the shipwrights! If you spill even a drop of his blood here, I'll make sure you regret it!"

Before any more could be said, light exploded from the deck of the Merry and two burnt forms were catapulted from the ship. The bodies of two marines, both of them groaning softly, landed with a thud at the feet of their Lieutenant Commander.

"The Hell?" Drake cursed. A form staggered over to the railing of the pirate vessel.

"Who are you?" Gin demanded in a tired voice. "Where are my Nakama?"

"Gin!" Usopp cried happily.

"Usopp," Gin called back. "Where the Hell are we?"

"Get him!" Drake ordered. Gin moved to jump off the ship, but he tripped over the railing and landed face first into the concrete. He exploded into lightning for a split second before he reformed, sparks flying off him at random intervals. The first wave of enemies slashed their swords through the man, but they had no effect save for shocking the marines.

"Gin, did you...?" Usopp left the question hanging.

"Ah," the Man-Demon confirmed as he backhanded a marine in the face, the man falling with smoke rolling from his mouth. "It seemed like the only option as the time."

"I mean, that's fine, but could you please help me?" Turning toward the sound of Usopp's voice, Gin darted forward. The four holding Usopp at swordpoint moved to retaliate, but they met the same fate as all the others.

"Pull back!" Drake ordered. "He's a Logia! Call for backup!"

"Special Attack: Smoke Star!" A small pellet broke against the floor next to Lieutenant Drake's feet, surrounding him and the marines around him in a grey cloud. The smokescreen dazed the marines long enough for Usopp to scramble onto the Merry. As he stepped on deck, a couple of Navy soldiers with a load of gold between them arrived from below deck.

"Man," the first complained. "All that work and this is the first load we got out? We haven't even gotten to the food or the cannons, yet. Stupid cursed gold."

"What's all the commotion?" the second asked Usopp, mistaking him for a marine.

"Usopp Hammer! Usopp Hammer!" The surprise attacks knocked the men out cold, giving the sniper the freedom to drop them over the side of the ship and onto the dock below. "Don't worry, girl," Usopp sighed happily, running a hand over the mast while ignoring the stalemate happening on the docks and the gold-laden tarp that was moving back into storage of its own volition. "I'm here to take good care of you, Merry."

Now, Usopp couldn't be sure, but he would later swear to Raftel and back that he heard someone whisper a very heartfelt "thank you."

* * *

"Marine Inspector Sheppard," Vice-Admiral Jonathan greeted, shaking the hand of the woman who had introduced herself as such. "It's a pleasure to meet you." The woman had dark hair that fell to her shoulders and sunglasses that hid her eyes. The uniform she wore was well-decorated.

"You as well," the woman replied smoothly, shaking his hand. "I'm sorry it took so long to get here, what with the storm and everything. I hope I haven't kept you waiting."

"Not at all," Jonathan smiled. "Please excuse us if we seem a bit frantic; we're having some problems down at one of the docks."

"I think I heard some of the men talking about that on the way up. Dock 88, correct? I'll leave that to you. Although, if you don't mind, I'd like to get my inspection started from the bottom up. Could you please have someone lead me to the brig?"

"Of course," Jonathan nodded. The woman, with two men leading her, exited the room. Quietly, the commander ordered another six men to shadow her. Now alone in his office, the vice-admiral turned to his chess board and rearranged the pieces.

"Straw Hat and a chef running around the halls," he muttered to himself. "An unknown doctor and two unknown nurses performing surgery. A sniper and the Man-Demon with the living ship. A woman who claims to be Inspector Sheppard. And finally, the Pirate Hunter and Tri-Horn in custody. That's ten human pirates in all, seven male and three female, the exact number we got from Alabasta (1). It's only a matter of time."

 **End of Chapter 64**

* * *

1) Note: Robin was not part of the crew and Amy does not have a bounty, so Jonathan is confusing the disguised Robin for Amy, who is still in hiding. He also doesn't know what Chopper is.

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	65. The Escape

**Chapter 65:**

 **The Escape**

"I hope you find our brig to be satisfactory!" two marines saluted, allowing the woman and her escorts, both open and hidden, to step further into the jail of Navarone. Inspecting the bars, Robin was easily able to recognize the Sea Prism Stone they were made of and nodded as if impressed. Not only that, but she could also hear the men that had shadowed her all the way from the Vice-Admiral's office, bringing to total marines in the room up to ten.

"Are any of your cells in use?" she questioned.

"One, ma'am," one of the marines replied. "Would you like us to take you there?"

"Please." The man began a brisk walk toward the back of the prison, suddenly stopping before the second-to-last cell. A table on the opposite wall taunted the prisoners by holding their weapons.

"Wakey, wakey!" the marine called, hitting the bars. "You filth are in the presence of an inspector!"

"You!" the real Sheppard yelled from where he was chained inside the cell next to Zoro and Coby. The chain holding him to the wall rattled as he reached its end. "You're the one that ambushed me!"

"I'm sorry?" Robin quirked an eyebrow over her stolen sunglasses. "Do I know you, pirate?"

"You're the pirate, lady!"

"Ah, calm down, Conny," Coby sighed, taking a page out of Usopp's book to help Robin's cover. "There's no point trying to hide when we're already caught."

"So that's your name," the marine next to Robin snapped.

"No it isn't!" Sheppard shouted.

"Yes it is," Coby shot back. "'The Condor' Condoriano. I'm wondering where you left your steel talons."

"I don't own any steel talons! And my name is Sheppard! Marine Inspector Sheppard!"

"Shut up, Conny," Zoro growled. "You're being annoying. Why Luffy let you on the ship, I have no idea."

"Oh, there's no need for that," Robin smiled. "Dos Fleur: Clutch!" Twenty arms, enough for every marine both hidden and open, painfully bent the government men backwards.

"I knew it!" Sheppard yelled before Zoro kicked him in the head. Being careful to not touch the bars directly, Robin quickly unlocked the door and the shackles on the swordsmen.

"Nice disguise, Robin," Coby complemented as he and his teacher grabbed their weapons from a nearby table.

"Thank you. Shall we go?" the woman questioned lightly. "Our ship is in Dock 88 on the western side."

"Lead the way."

* * *

"Open this door immediately!" the leader of a group of marines demanded, banging on the door of the emergency medical room. In response, a nurse opened the door and stuck her head out.

"Shut up!" the nurse hissed. "We're performing some delicate operations in here!"

"We were sent by Lieutenant Drake. He has reason to suspect that there are as many as three pirates within that room at this very moment."

"We don't have a moment to spare for your pirate hunt," the nurse bit back. "Leave." She slammed the door shut.

"...Ah, dammit. There goes my promotion."

* * *

"Damn it!" Usopp cursed as he fired another Exploding Star. He was playing the last line of defense since Gin was stuck under a Sea Prism Stone net. "I'll never let you take the Merry!"

Unbeknownst to the sniper, Merry was doing her own part, firing bits of rope out from the sides of the ship and shaking the ladders. Unfortunately, the number of marines on the dock was growing by the second. Even so, Usopp's dedication to Kaya's gift refused to let his courage waver.

Meanwhile, Luffy and Sanji were searching for the brig, but...

"Hey, Sanji? Do you know where the brig is?"

"How the Hell would I know?" Sanji demanded, turning a corner.

"I don't know. I was following you because I thought you knew." An explosion to the right caught their attention. "What was that?" Luffy asked.

"You're here, so it must be someone else on our crew," Sanji snarked. "Come on." The two followed the growing sounds of battle until they finally ran into the cave marked as Dock 88 where Usopp was valiantly defending his greatest treasure.

"Usopp!" Luffy called, attracting the attention of the sniper and all the marines.

"You moron," the chef groaned. They dove to opposite sides as projectiles hit the ground and exploded where they'd been standing.

"Things and finally getting exciting!" Luffy yelled happily, forgetting about his need to find the brig.

* * *

"The bridge is empty," Coby observed. "It's probably a trap."

"Indeed," Robin agreed, "but that is the only way to the western docks."

"So we springing the trap?" Zoro asked. Both of his companions nodded. Wordlessly, all three made their way to the top half of the bridge and began to cross. About halfway over, the burly marines that had been hiding on either side revealed themselves.

"We're 55 and you better fear it!"

"Or we're gonna show you our firey spirit!"

"Don't move!" Coby ordered, holding a sword at Robin's neck. "We have the inspector!"

"That won't fool us!" the tan, muscular marine in the lead laughed. "We are Unit 55, the unit all other units fear! We won't be fooled by some snot-nosed brat!"

"It was a good bluff, Little Swordsman, but I guess I don't need this anymore." The woman shed the Marine coat and crossed her arms. "Let's begin. Cien Fleur: Slap!" A hundred arms sprouted, each one slapping a marine in the face. About 30 of them were standing too close to the edge on the packed bridge and were knocked over into the water. The rest of them shook off the blow and charged. Zoro decided to take the marines in the front bare-handed while Coby faced the way they'd come and transformed. Robin decided to try to help as well, sprouting limbs to trip up the approaching wave of foes.

"Five Point Style: Meteor Swords!" The marines in the lead managed catch the Zoan type, holding him back as several men tried to skirt around the edges. One man took a swipe at the hybrid, putting a deep cut in Coby's forehead above his left eye. Having none of that, Coby broke away and jumped back, putting space between him and his foes. Believing a different approach may be required, the rosette finished his transformation into a triceratops, lowered his head, and pawed the ground. "Cretaceous Charge!"

That scared the men. Many of them, doubting they could stand up to the power of a charging dinosaur, tried to flee, only for their paths to be blocked by other men of their unit. Luckily, Coby didn't want to kill them, so he turned at the last second, ramming into the mass of marines with his flank. The men were bowled over like bowling pins, clamoring to try to stand and hindering each other.

On the other side, Zoro had only unsheathed one blade and was facing off against a man with extendable boxing gloves. Zoro scowled as he cut another opponent, only for a glove to punch him in the side for a third time. Finally having enough, the older swordsman sliced through the metal attached to the glove as it came in for a fourth time. The marine holding the handles stared at the severed end in fear, having thought that cutting metal with nothing but a sword was impossible.

"Incoming!" Without much warning, Amy decided to make her appearance, dropping onto the largest group of marines on the bridge. The supports cracked under the stress and Amy lightened herself to float as she watched the steel and concrete give way underneath her. The men she'd fallen on plummeting into the water below.

"Kyahahaha!" the blonde laughed. "We're going to be the last ones to the dock if we don't hurry up!"

"Where the Hell have you been?" Zoro demanded.

"Thank you for the warning, Ms. Valentine," Robin nodded. "I suppose it's about time we stepped up our game. Cien Fleur: Swat!" Growing a giant arm out of the side of the bridge, the woman used it to knock off all the marines barring them from the western shore. To complete the path, she bloomed a bridge of flesh the fill the hole Amy's entrance had created.

"Shrimp, we're leaving!" Zoro shouted.

"Coming!" the triceratops called back, turning to smack a couple of enemies off the bridge with his tail and dart toward the cleared path.

"I'll cover you," Zoro told his student as he passed. "36 Caliber Phoenix!" The flying cut mowed over the front row of men, leaving a shallow cut across their chests. Once the pirates that couldn't fly were over the hole, Robin removed her arm bridge, cutting off the marines' access.

"See you later!" Amy taunted. "Kyahahaha!"

"You damn pirates!" the remaining forces of unit 55 yelled angrily.

* * *

It was chaos when the four pirates reached the dock. Each of the others that were there before were in their own little circles, fighting the enemies around them. Usopp was still attacking from the Merry, taking pot shots whenever he could. Gin was nearby, shocking anyone who came near and hastily avoiding any nets that came his way, stone or otherwise. Luffy and Sanji where on either side, beating their opponents back with large-scale attacks.

Zoro and Coby locked eyes before nodding and charging in while the marines' backs were turned. Robin grew a chain of arms to swing to the Merry without fighting while Amy joined her in the air only to fall on a group of snipers. Just as they cleared the entrance, Chopper, Nami, Grace, and another woman ran out of the doorway with a stretcher.

"Nami's in a nurse outfit!" Sanji yelled with hearts in his eyes.

"Keep your eyes off of her!" Luffy shouted defensively, a fist extending across the room to punch no less that ten marines and the cook.

"We've got a hostage!" Nami roared, holding her Clima-Tact at Kabato's throat. The woman screamed in response, winking so only Nami could see. "Stand down or we'll have the monster of our crew snap her neck!"

. . .

"I _said_ ," Nami emphasized, nudging Chopper with her foot, "we'll have the monster of our crew snap her neck!"

"Oh, right," Chopper blinked, changing into his Heavy Point. "Get out of our way or I'll break this woman in half!" He lifted Doctor Kabato up over his head, the woman continuing to scream.

"I would lower your weapons," Zoro told the marines. "I've seen the neck-snapping thing. It's pretty messy."

"Lower your weapons, men," Drake begrudgingly ordered. Trying to act as scary as possible, Chopper stomped his way over to the Merry with Nami and Grace following.

"That's the guy in charge," Nami whispered to Grace as they approached the Lieutenant Commander. "Color him or something." Stopping in front of the man, Grace slowly pulled out his pallet and brush.

Drake stared down at the diminutive redhead before him. What was a little girl like her doing with these pirates? Was she a captive? What was with the paint?

"Colors Trap: Laughing Yellow." The men were shocked when their commander broke out into uncontrollable laughter. They'd never heard him laugh before; it was a mixture of clown-like honks and snorting sounds.

Finally reaching the Merry, everyone but Grace and Kabato climbed on. The little girl stayed next to the doctor as the ship pulled out of the dock, Grace only boarding when Robin's arms reached out to pull her aboard and leave the hostage. The old man Usopp had talked to before the fight rushed out to hug the woman.

Keeping close to the outer edge of the crater G-8 was built inside of, the Going Merry made her way toward the gate that was the only entrance and exit for the nearly-impenetrable Marine base with only a small stop to grab Nami's waver. Three battleships appeared in the distance, gaining slowly. Luffy, Sanji, Zoro, and Coby deflected all the cannonballs that came their way, none of them touching the Merry. If one were paying attention, they would have seen that some of the cannonballs were missing the ship by bending through the air, redirected by some unknown force.

Vice-Admiral Jonathan watched this from the balcony of his office, a fishing pole in his hand cast in the water. While the pirates scurried about on the deck, he saw Merry condense into being in the crow's nest, smiling and waving at him mockingly. A cannonball raced toward her, some marine apparently having thought (truthfully) that she was the ghost on the ship. Merry's smile never wavered and she flicked her hand, the cannonball moving off course so it whistled by harmlessly. Merry's voice carried over the distance.

"Baahahaha! Bye, Jonny! Thanks for the game!"

Jonathan sighed, reeling his line in, only a sardine on the hook. How that got there, he hadn't a clue. Sardines weren't native to the Grand Line. Shaking off, he watched Merry fade back into the ship as his ears picked up some of the orders from their true leader.

"Usopp, man the cannon!"

"Aye, Nami!"

"Chopper, follow my commands to the letter!"

"Got it," the reindeer answered from the rudder. A barrage of cannonballs too thick to dodge were fired by the grunts surrounding the gate. Luffy, ever the battle genius, used a Gum-Gum Balloon to redirect them into the metal gate itself. The gate collapsed with a bang, leaving nothing to dam the water within the circular base. The Merry was caught in a rip current.

"Wait!" Nami screamed, realizing that there was no way to get back in the base. "Did they take our gold?"

"Nope," Amy answered, peeking inside the storeroom. "It looks like all the gold is still here. With a tarp that's not ours, too. Maybe they thought it was cursed or something."

"I heard some of them complaining about that earlier," Usopp agreed.

"I did, too," Gin commented, dragging the attention to himself.

"Gin! You're awake!" Luffy yelled happily.

"We can talk later!" Nami shouted. "Escape now!" All chatter ceased as all the pirates' energies were put to use getting the Merry through the broken gate in one piece. Compared to all the excitement on land, sailing out was almost anticlimactic. The battleships, or those that weren't beached by the receding water within the base, continued chasing them even after reaching the open sea, but they were forced to turn back after Navarone became nothing but a speck on the horizon.

The Straw Hats had escaped the "Impenetrable Fortress", G-8.

 **End of Chapter 65**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	66. Travel, Training, and Responses

**Hello, everyone! Good news, bad news time.**

 **Good news: I got a summer job working as a camp councillor for nine weeks.**

 **Bad news: I also need to take summer classes in my spare time.**

 **Just news: I don't know what this will do to my writing schedule.**

 **I'm trusting that all of you clever readers understand the ramifications of this news, so I'm going to probably reduce my updates to once a week on Saturday for the duration of my work. Next week from this chapter will be normal, but after that... There might be a week or two (never two in a row, I'll make sure of that) where nothing comes, that would be because of my summer classes taking priority. You all understand, right?**

 **My regular schedule will resume at the start of school on the of the tenth of August.**

 **In other news, I'm SO CLOSE. I'm (or is it we?) am/are only one singular follower from 400. Thank you all for enjoying my work.**

* * *

 **Chapter 66:**

 **Travel, Training, and Responses**

"We did it~! We did it~!" Luffy and Usopp sang as they danced on the deck of the Merry. Beside them, Chopper was stitching up the head wound Coby had gotten while fighting on the bridge. It seemed the captain was no longer the only one with a scar on his face.

"So you ate that Devil Fruit?" Grace asked Gin who was sitting away from everyone else since sparks were still flying off him randomly. Gin nodded.

"And how did they not find you?" Nami added. "We had no time to think when we went into hiding."

"You mean you guys weren't the ones who put me in a closet?" Gin questioned in a surprised voice.

"Uh, no," Amy denied. "Last we saw, you were still knocked out on the medical bed."

"Well somebody had to have put me there."

"Maybe it was the same person who fixed the Merry," Zoro joked.

"I told you, I saw someone that night!" Usopp defended.

"Either way," Gin interrupted, "I woke up in a closet with the Devil Fruit next to me and some voices talking outside. They said there was a group that was trying to take the Donna's gold, but that they claimed the gold was moving when they had their backs turned. Anyway, I fell and they heard me, so I ate the Fruit to defend myself. But now, I'm not sure I want it."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Coby asked. "Once someone eats a Devil Fruit, they have that power until they die."

"Do you wish for a way to keep your powers in check?" Robin inquired.

"I guess so?" Gin answered, not exactly sure what he wanted.

"Sea Prism Stone would be out of the question," Robin pointed out, "but, as we saw in Skypia, contact with rubber forced Eneru into a human state."

"So what?" Usopp questioned. "It's not like we could have Luffy touching him all the time."

"But we could sew rubber into the underside of his headband," Coby thought aloud.

"I like that idea," Gin nodded with relief.

"Indeed," Robin agreed. "If you needed to, you could take it off to use your powers. Either way, though, you'll have to learn to control them."

The now-lightning-man turned toward his captain. "Don Luffy? Donna Nami? Would you two do me the honor of helping me train? Don Luffy can keep me in check and the Donna has extensive knowledge of weather, including lightning."

"Sure!" Luffy confirmed before Nami could answer. "Let's start right now!" Nami sighed as the three of them moved toward the front of the ship, the rest of the crew braking off to do their own things. Usopp stepped into the men's quarters to be met with the ringing of his personal den-den, a brown snail with an unexplainable long nose.

"Hello?" he answered, picking up the receiver on the shell of the snail.

"Usopp!" Kaya's relieved voice responded. "Thank Goda! I've been trying to reach you for the past few days!"

"Sorry, we've been pretty busy," Usopp chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "We've been pretty busy. We went to Heaven, killed God, partied with angels, and then crashed into a Marine base that we escaped from just a little bit ago. What's going on on your end?"

"...You did what?!" With a smile, Usopp launched into his own rendition of their trip to Skypia and their subsequent landing in G-8. All the while, Kaya listened happily. "And finally, I bravely fired a single Gunpowder Star from the crow's nest, my pellet hitting the gate's singular week point! The gate crumbled to bits just as our ship approached, the top only just missing our figurehead! The marines around us froze in awe of my power, granting us enough time to escape unimpeded! ...So what's new with you, Kaya?"

"Oh, right." It seemed the young woman had nearly forgotten why she'd called in the first place. "I got this package a few days ago. It's a black flag with a skull-and-crossbones wearing a straw hat."

"Coby mentioned something about those," the sniper nodded. "Luffy decided that he would claim our home islands as his turf to ward off other pirates. If you fly that flag, you should be safe under the threat of retaliation from the great Captain Usopp!" The snail giggled in Kaya's voice.

"In that case, I'll have Merry fly it right away."

* * *

It was the next day that the first Package Gull arrived with a letter. The letter was from Nami's sister and included a photo of Nojiko and Genzo in front of a new flagpole proudly flying the Straw Hat flag. A number was scribbled at the bottom of the page, Nojiko's den-den number.

The second gull returned from Luffy's hometown with two letters and one photo. The first, written in small, neat handwriting, was from a woman named Makino asking Luffy how he was doing and if his crew was as lively as they looked in the news. The second, in barely-legible scrawl, was from someone named Dadan who was praising the teen for "sticking to those Marine bastards" and "driving his grandfather nuts". It was covered in other writings that couldn't really be made out. That photo showed a smiling, green-haired woman and a large, female redhead with the flag spread between them. An old man was pouting in the background.

The third arrived from Vivi and Carue and included a photo of them with the flag hanging in their room rather than outside. It also included a number with the instructions to call sometime. _So much has happened since you left!_

The final letter was from Kureha and Dalton. It held not only a picture of the flag flying next to Hiriluk's, which Chopper claimed as his own and hung it in the medical ward, but also an eternal pose stamped "Sakura Kingdom". As the letter explained, Dalton had been voted king by the people and renamed Drum before reaching out toward Alabasta. The two kingdoms now had a strong alliance.

In the time it took for those four letters to arrive, Luffy, Nami, and Gin worked out a schedule for training Gin's new Logia powers so he didn't accidentally hurt any of his crewmates. It would take him until they reached the next island for him to have enough control to not spark without his now-rubber-lined headband.

Another month passed before the next event of worth. Coby finished his growth spurt halfway through, now standing over his captain and just under his mentor. Sanji's food had finally fully counteracted the measly meals he'd had from his two years aboard Alvida's ship that had stunted his growth. Not only had he gotten taller, but puberty hit Coby like a truck, dropping his voice into a smooth tenor as opposed to his earlier squeaky alto.

Grace had also grown, but she only came up to the rosette's chin. She had blossomed into a lovely young woman and, though he had taken notice, Coby decided that he wouldn't act on his impulses for fear of denial or the awkwardness such a thing would cause. The two began an awkward dance around each other with Amy jumping in to drive Coby away whenever it appeared they were starting to make progress. Secretly, however, the rest of the crew decided to make a bet: not what would happen, but how long it would take. Luffy ordered Amy to stay out of it, but the fear had already been instilled into the rosette.

The month after their trip to Skypia passed quickly, giving the pirates many rewards with plenty of gold to spare. Sanji managed to afford all new cookware to withstand the new cooking dials. Robin asked for nothing but enough to buy more history and mythology books. Chopper was able to buy several medical textbooks he'd been wishing for and Usopp bought various supplies for his tinkering and upgrades. While Nami didn't buy anything, she did have Usopp upgrade her Clima-Tact with some dials. Grace restocked her paints and she and Coby had to get all new wardrobes after outgrowing everything.

Grace was now usually outfitted in a tie-dyed shirt and a red skirt that fell to her knees. Orange tennis shoes covered her feet and knee-length, miss-matched socks hid the rest of her legs. Upon her head sat the red cowboy hat that Robin had bribed her with after they'd left Alabasta, covering the top of her hair, the rest of which had grown down to her waist. She had also bought a new smock which was slowly accumulating stains that "made it her own".

Coby's new outfit was still rather reminiscent of Marine uniforms with a white and blue color scheme, yet there were several key differences. He wore blue shorts and his sandals on his lower body, the backside of his pants folded over rather than being sewn to give his tail an opening when he transformed. His torso was clad in a white shirt with a face of a triceratops, something that he had gotten as a joke but had come to like nonetheless, the face partially covered by a light jacket that matched his pants and had a hood in the back. His hair had grown longer as well, now framing the top of his face and the back brushing his neck. A blue bandana was tied around his neck so the knot was even with the end of his hair.

The final change of the month was Gin's. He didn't change his clothing, going back to a cleaner version of what he had been wearing at the Baraté (dark pants and shirt, grey jacket with red dragons, grey-and-blue headband), but he did coat the weights on the end of his tonfa in gold since the shiny metal would be a better electrical conductor than their original iron should the need to use his powers arise. The ends now glimmered golden in the light while two lines spiraled down the shafts of the weapons. The golden lines, which twisted around to end on the handles, were tiny dragons that Gin had spent several hours making because "if I'm going to have gold on my tonfa, it's going to done right. And dragons are cool."

There _was_ one scary day where the Merry had to sail through a particularly bad storm and almost crashed into a giant ship with a gold trip and a white fox figurehead, but the storm was so bad that the two pirate groups, for that was what the black flag and jolly roger on the other ship symbolized, were too busy sailing to meet. While Luffy wanted to go back and meet the captain with the "super awesomely big ship that Merry could beat in a flash", Nami quickly subdued him with promises of meat and otherwise. If she didn't run the ship beforehand, she certainly did now. Luffy was wrapped around every one of her fingers.

The island they landed on after that storm, Long Ring Long Land, was interesting but rather boring. Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper had a lot of fun playing with the aaaaaaanimals while everyone else talked to the man who fell from the giant bamboo stilts, however, nothing that met the standard Straw Hat Crazy® happened.

Their next exciting adventure began on an uninhabited island where the crew stopped for a barbecue. The party they had on the beach was nothing surprising, nor when Luffy declared that they were going to explore the island. What was surprising was when they found a man sleeping in a field.

The crew entered the clearing with their usual chatter, four or five different conversations happening at the same time. The clearing was absolutely flat save for one large boulder that sat in the center. What looked to be large black mushroom seemed to be growing out of the top of the rock.

"Oh, a mushroom!" Chopper commented, running forward the study the fungi.

"Hey, wait for us!" Luffy called after him as the reindeer rounded the corner, only to be knocked back.

"Are you ok, Chopper?" Coby asked, carrying Grace in his now-fully-grown Dino Mode, the girl munching on rice crackers as usual. The rest of the crew ran forward to check on the doctor and defend him if need be.

"Hm?" a sleepy voice hummed. As it turned out, the mushroom was not a plant, but the hair of a very tall man. The man stood at nearly ten feet and was thin. He was dressed in white dress pants with a blue under shirt and yellow tie under a white vest. His curly black hair ended just above his neck and a sleep mask covered his eyes.

Upon seeing him, Robin gasped and unconsciously stepped back. The sound of the woman caused the man to remove his headgear from over his eyes and sweep his gaze over the group.

"Oh my, look at you," the man smiled as his eyes landed on the archeologist. "You've grown into quite the stunning young woman, Nico Robin." Upon hearing her full name, every one of the pirates were immediately set on guard, falling into defensive stances. "Oh calm down. I'm not here on any official business."

"Who the Hell are you?" Luffy demanded.

"And who do you work for?" Gin added.

"That's…" Coby gulped. "That's Aokiji. One of the Navy's three Admirals."

"Oh, so you know me," the man yawned, lying down on his side. "I'm flattered."

"This guy's an Admiral?" Zoro questioned incredulously. "I didn't think marines were allowed to be lazy."

"He's almost as lazy as you," Amy joked.

"At least I'm not as lazy as Grace," Zoro shot back.

"Lay off of Grace!" Coby and Amy yelled in sync.

"Oh my," Aokiji muttered as his eyes landed on Amy and Nami. "Two more lovely ladies with some nice bazongas. Are you two free tonight?"

"You bastard!" Sanji yelled instinctively.

"Back off!" Luffy ordered, stepping in front of Nami.

"Oh ho. So the report Garp was laughing about was true."

"Who's Garp?" Nami asked as her boyfriend went as white as Aokiji's vest.

"Nobody!" Luffy tried to claim. "He's nobody!"

"Do you mean Vice-Admiral Garp?" Coby asked. "Hold on a second. His surname is Monkey... Marine Vice-Admiral Monkey D. Garp is your father?!" Luffy shook his head, his voice refusing to work.

"A couple months ago, Garp was laughing about his grandson getting himself a girlfriend. It looks like the betting pool he started is over."

"The Marines had a betting pool about a pirate's love life?" Gin asked in surprise. "That... doesn't seem like something they would do."

"Garp is a special case," Aokiji waved. "And let me say, you are one lucky pirate for having such a babe on your arm." Several of the pirates tried to hold in their laughter with limited success. Aokiji thought Luffy was the one in charge of that relationship! "What's so funny?"

Before anyone could answer, a group of ten or so people stumbled out of the bushes. All of them were covered in dirt and the two children with them clung to a woman the pirates supposed was their mother.

"Is it true?" the blond man who was their leader asked. "You're a Marine Admiral? Can you help us?"

"Who are you guys?" Usopp questioned. "I thought this island was uninhabited." Chopper panicked and ran over, checking the health of every person.

"How are they?" Luffy asked.

"They haven't eaten in days," Chopper answered. "Luckily, they aren't badly injured, so all they need is food." At that diagnosis, Luffy declared another meal to begin shortly.

"A passenger ship disappeared about a month ago," Aokiji drawled several minutes later, munching on a stick of barbecue that Chopper had offered him. "I'm guessing you're the survivors."

"Yes, we are," the blond confirmed. "We were returning to our home island when a giant frog doing the front crawl slammed into our ship."

"That's ridiculous," Nami denied.

"Everyone knows frogs do the breaststroke," Sanji added nonchalantly.

"Nope," the marine yawned. "That was probably Yokuzuna."

"After what felt like forever, we landed on this island," the blond continued, "but our food ran out soon after that. We were praying for a miracle and we thought we'd gotten one with he thought he saw a ship on the horizon, but it was just a guy on a bicycle."

"Don't be stupid," Luffy laughed. "You can't ride bikes on the water!"

"Actually, that was me." Aokiji raised his hand lazily.

"And then, when he finally saw a ship, it was a pirate ship!"

"And that was us," Coby finished. "I guess we'd have enough room for you, but just being on our ship could brand you as pirates."

"Nah," the admiral waved off. "I'll handle it." Rising from the ground, Aokiji began walking into the forest and, whether out of hope or curiosity, the pirates and survivors followed. Reaching the edge of the island, Aokiji dipped a single hand into the water and spoke two words.

"Ice Age."

In a flash, the ocean for as far as the eye could see was frozen solid. The viewers' mouths dropped open in shock at the display, only brought back to their senses as the marine continued to speak.

"That should stay frozen for about a week. If you keep walking in that direction, you should reach an inhabited island in four days. It'll be a bit chilly, so remember to bundle up."

"That was awesome!" Luffy yelled.

"Uh, thank you?" Aokiji didn't seem to know how to react to Luffy's praise.

"We can finally go home!" the survivors cried. The Straw Hats offered them food and water for their journey and the group staggered off over the frozen ocean, calling thanks back the way they came. The pirates waved back while playing on the ice.

"You know what, Old Marine Guy?" Luffy smiled. "You're not half bad."

"I was about to say the same to you, Straw Hat," the marine responded before he frowned. "That's why I can't let you continue to travel with that woman. Hand over Nico Robin and I'll let you go."

 **End of Chapter 68**

* * *

 **I'm sorry to all of you Foxy fans out there that were looking forward to the Davy Back Fight and/or Foxy getting his ass handed to him, but I can't stand that character and every time I tried to write him, I just couldn't. Not for lack of trying, mind you, so various small choices have caused then to _just_ miss each other. Who knows? Maybe he'll show up later.**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	67. Ice and Lightning

**And a big shout out to _Slackingoff_ for being my 400** **th** **Follower!**

* * *

 **Chapter 67:**

 **Ice and Lightning**

 _"You know what, Old Marine Guy?" Luffy smiled. "You're not half bad."_

 _"I was about to say the same to you, Straw Hat," Aokiji responded before he frowned. "That's why I can't let you continue to travel with that woman. Hand over Nico Robin and I'll let you go."_

"No way!" Luffy denied, jumping to his feet. "I don't care how cool you are, no one is taking my Nakama away from me!"

"Do you know about Nico Robin's history?" the Marine Admiral asked, unfazed by the pirate's aggressive stance. "Are you aware that every group she has ever aligned herself with has fallen, every member but her either dead or imprisoned?"

"That's not true!" Amy stated, catching Aokiji off guard. She leveled her parasol at the marine. "I was part of Baroque Works for three years, working as one of Crocodile's top agents before I turned."

"Besides," Luffy continued, "history is personal and it only says who you were. We don't care about that! It's who you are now that matters!"

Aokiji sighed heavily. He hated when he met good pirates like the Straw Hats, but he couldn't just let them get away and endanger themselves with the likes of Nico Robin. Bending down, he plucked several blades of grass and blew on them, flash-freezing the water droplets around them and in the air into a jagged sword.

"Ice Saber." With speed that belied his lazy nature, the tall man dashed forward and prepared to cut through the archaeologist, only for his weapon to be blocked by a rubber fist, two swords, a leg, and a tonfa.

"Back off," Zoro growled at him. With barely a though, Aokiji pumped his power through his mouth and blew over the fighters, coating several limbs in ice. The Monster Trio dropped, them having taken the worst of it. Luffy grabbed a frozen fist, Zoro growled at his hand holding Kitetsu III, and Sanji clutched his ice-covered leg. Coby hopped away, wary of transforming as that would make him more susceptible to the cold. Gin glared at the man who dared to threaten his family, the gold on the end on his right tonfa glittered through the ice.

"Listen, kids, just hand her over."

"No!" Luffy jumped up, punching toward the man's face while Zoro ducked low to cut through his body. Not reacting fast enough to dodge, or choosing not to, the marine was cut in half and crumbled into shards of ice. The coating over Luffy and Zoro's hands shattered under the force.

"Was that it?" Amy asked. The pile of ice shifted, the admiral slowly rising as he reformed. He slashed his arm through the air, a freezing wind blowing the fighters to their right.

"Thunderbolt Tempo!" Nami yelled, a bolt of electricity descending upon the marine. Aokiji's face vaporized, leaving a crater between the man's shoulders that decended into his chest. Steam or mist, the pirate's weren't sure which, wafted from the broken area. Silence covered the battleground like a blanket, every pirate staring at the body until Amy jumped into the air.

"There's no kill like overkill!" she shouted. "Shatter, Ice Man! 10,000 Kilogram Press!" The blonde fell on the Admiral's prone form roughly 10.32 tons of weight, crushing the rest of Aokiji's body into crystalline dust. "There we go! That wasn't too hard."

Robin allowed herself to let out a breath of relief. That was, until she felt two cold arms begin to encircle her.

"No!" the archaeologist cried, her body refusing to move as she realized the Admiral had reformed behind her. "No! I'm not the same person I was! I've changed!"

"Robin!" Zoro's voice carried over from where the others had been blown. They were too slow to help.

There was a crack of ozone as a shiny ball caught the surprised marine in the face. He shattered into ice again, his pieces being launched into the field from the force. Gin landed in front of the startled archaeologist, his headband tossed to the side back with the others. Electricity danced across his skin as he glared at the slowly-reforming marine.

"No one threatens my Nakama," the Man-Demon bit out. "Everyone, go. I'll hold him off."

"We aren't leaving you, Gin!" Luffy tried to protest.

"No, Captain," Coby said, wrapping an arm around the rubber-man's chest. "Gin is best suited to fight him out of all of us. They're both Logias after all."

"I don't care!"

"Grace? A little help?"

"Colors Trap: Calming Green."

"Grrr, fine," Luffy conceded with a growl, his ire just barely giving way to the effects of the chemical-infused paint. "Everyone back to the Merry! Gin, I expect you to be back soon. That's a captain's order."

"Yes, Don," the lightning-man grunted. Since Robin's body still wouldn't move, Zoro jumped in and picked her up as the rest of the crew retreated. Electricity sparked from Gin's tonfa as the weapons spun, the motion seeming to act like a generator as the man collected ambient static from the air.

"The Rumble-Rumble Fruit," Aokiji muttered in surprise. "It was supposed to be lost almost a decade ago. Does that mean that Vice-Admiral Jonathan's second-hand reports were true? How did you get your hands on the Fruit said to be invincible?"

"I killed God," the newer Devil Fruit user answered honestly. "I take it you have the Ice-Ice Fruit or something?"

"Yeah. Tell me, Man-Demon Gin. Why do you fight so hard for your crew? Why do you fight so hard for Nico Robin?"

"You wouldn't understand," Gin replied. "Don Luffy was the first man to show me real kindness after my parents died. That is how many of us joined. Others, like Robin, were saved by him whether they wanted to be or not. We have something of a bond that way. Robin has become one of us, and we will fight to the ends of Hell to keep it that way for as long as she'll let us and beyond. And that's why Don Luffy will become the King of the Pirates."

"Then I'm sorry for doing this," the marine sighed. "Ice Age." The ground around the ice-man's feet began turning white, frost growing from the origin. Gin, however, was unafraid of this as he ran forward.

"3000 Watt Slam!" With a screech of electricity, the Man-Demon brought his right tonfa down on his foe. The lightning that sparked out of his shiny weapon burnt holes in Aokiji's sleeves as the man was pushed backwards due to the force on his crossed arms.

In response, Aokiji brought up his weapon and launched forward to attack. The ice sword became coated in black and, acting on instinct, the pirate used both his tonfa to block the sword. With a clang, the three weapons became locked in a struggle. The marine bore down on his fellow Logia, causing the air temperature to drop. Feeling the cold as well as the ice creeping up his legs, Gin started to push a charge into his surroundings, heating the air and his body to counteract the chill. The ice on his legs began to steam.

Aokiji raised his eyebrow, surprised that there was a pirate with a relatively small bounty that could hold him back so well, even if the ice-man wasn't giving his all. Still, he had a job to do.

Gin gasped as frost started to grow on his weapons. Pulling back, the man flashed backward, his limbs each turning to lightning. The ice on his tonfa and legs evaporated instantly.

"Why are you holding back?" the pirate panted. "I know you're too strong for me to defeat."

"And yet you still fight.' Aokiji responded. "You were there in Alabasta, weren't you?" Caught off guard by the questioned, Gin confirmed without thinking.

"I was."

"Then I don't want to kill you. I never did like Crocodile. As I matter of fact, I don't like any of the Warlords. There was something else, too... something about Smoker. Ah, I forgot. Anyway, I'll consider my debt to your captain repaid by sparing you and your friends, but be wary, Man-Demon. Nico Robin is not someone to befriend. Eventually, she will turn her back on you, and you will pay the price." Turning away, Aokiji entered the forest, leaving the fight.

Quickly, Gin returned to the Merry and was relieved to see that everyone else was OK. Replacing his headband, the Devil Fruit user felt the familiar sensation of his powers vanishing upon contact with the rubber-lined inside. He chose to keep the Admiral's warning to himself since he knew that his captain would not care either way.

On the horizon, Aokiji's bike appeared as the marine calmly pedaled off over the water and into the distance.

"Wow, Gin!" Chopper exclaimed as the man pulled himself over the Merry's railing. "You're so strong to be able to fight off an Admiral!"

"He was holding back," Gin replied with a frown. "He let us go because we took out Crocodile."

"That's why?" Amy wondered aloud. "Weird."

"Not really," Coby muttered, shaking his head. "Aokiji is said to be to most lenient of the three Admirals."

"Nami, is the Log Pose reset?" Luffy asked.

"No, it isn't," the navigator responded. "I'll tell you when it is, though."

"I'm going to train," Zoro stated with a frown before he disappeared into the bowels of the ship.

"I'm going to join him," Coby added.

"Sanji, meat!"

And just like that, everything on the Going Merry went back to normal…

* * *

"There's a frog doing the front crawl off the starboard bow!" Zoro yelled, instantly attracting the attention of the rest of the crew.

"Really?!" Luffy and Chopper yelled excitedly as they raced to the railing to see it.

"Don't be ridiculous," Usopp chastised. "Frogs can't do the HOLY CRAP! THERE'S A FROG DOING THE FRONT CRAWL!" Sure enough, a giant frog with black hair and scars covering its body was doing the front crawl through the water.

"Follow that frog!" Luffy ordered. "We're gonna eat it!"

"Goda dammit, Luffy," Nami sighed before she began giving orders. The ship turned to two o'clock and began pursuing the amphibian.

"Stop!" Amy ordered from the crow's nest. "Stop! We're going to hit a lighthouse! Stop!"

Despite Luffy's protests, the rest of the crew brought the Merry to a stop just as several warning bells started to ring.

"What's a lighthouse doing way out here?" Nami questioned. In front of the boat, the frog jumped onto something in the water and took a ready stance. Being above water revealed that the frog was wearing a maroon loincloth.

"What is the frog standing on?" Coby asked.

"Train tracks?" Grace's answer, for that was what is was supposed to be, still came out as a question. Indeed, the giant frog was standing on a set of train tracks floating just a couple of inches under the water and flowing with the waves. A loud whistle tore through the surrounding area just before a train blew past. There was a mighty collision as the frog tried to stop the train, only to be thrown away with blood flowing from what would be another scar.

"Granny! Granny! There are pirates outside!" The voice of a little girl attracted the crew's attention and they turned to the lighthouse just in time to see the end of a striped dress disappear inside.

"Really?" an older woman slurred. "Then bring me the den-den." The old woman fell out of the doorway. She was quite heavy-set with bushy blonde hair in two braids down her back. Her face showed deep smile lines and her cheeks were flushed. She was dressed in a conductor's uniform and a bottle of something was clutched in her hand.

A little girl who had to be related to the woman ran up to her with a snail. The little girl looked exactly like the woman in miniature, except for her clothing, a lack of wrinkles, and that her hair defied gravity in its braids. A small, blue thing that looked somewhat like a rabbit waddled after her.

"Hello?" the woman slurred into the snail. "Nah, you have the wrong number." With a click, she hung up. "Oh, pirates. Why didn't ya say somethin', Chimney?"

"I did, Granny!"

"Nya nya!" the rabbit added.

"Hi! I'm Kokoro, but ya can call me Granny, and this is my granddaughter Chimney."

"And this is Gonbei, my kitty cat!" Chimney added, holding up the animal.

"Who're you?" Kokoro continued.

"I'm Luffy. I'm going to be the King of the Pirates!"

Kokoro laughed, hiccupping every few seconds. "And where are you pirates headed?"

"Somewhere east of here," Nami answered, checking the Log Pose.

"Then yer headed fer Water 7," Kokoro nodded. "Th' best shipwrights in the world work fer Galley-La there."

"Great!" Usopp exclaimed. "We can finally get the Merry fixed!"

"If yer fixin' yer ship, then I got somethin' fer ya." The inebriated woman re-entered the lighthouse before coming back out with a folded piece of paper. "This is a reference letter. Give it ta a man named Iceberg an' tell 'im Granny sent cha."

"Alright, thank you," Coby responded.

"We'll be going back there in a few days," Chimney said. "We might see you there."

"Nyaa, nyaa," her animal called.

"Set sail for Water 7!" Luffy shouted. "Let's go get Merry fixed!"

 **End of Chapter 67**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	68. The City of Water

**From now on, all of my chapters will be coming out on Saturdays in the PM. Just a heads up.**

 **And another note: I don't know why some people think this, but I am NOT looking for OCs to use in my story. I've had a few people send me bios for stuff like "a solution to my Foxy problem". I HAD THROUGH ENIES LOBBY WRITTEN BEFORE I UPLOADED THE FIRST CHAPTER. IF I NEED AN OC, I'LL MAKE ONE MYSELF. THANKS, BUT NO THANKS.**

 **Ahem. That is all.**

* * *

 **Chapter 68:**

 **The City of Water**

"Wow!" Luffy gasped, him being the only one to get the word out. The city-island of Water 7 rose out of the sea like a pyramid topped with the largest fountain any of the pirates had ever seen. The water from the fountain flowed downward through the city's canals, leaving very little room for sidewalks compared to other islands. Large, block numbers counting from one were carved into the entrances into the city.

"Hey, you!" a man in a fishing boat yelled as the Merry drew closer. "You pirates can't just sail in or else the Marines will catch you! You gotta take the back entrance! Go down that side street, OK?"

"Thanks!" Nami responded as the crew turned the Merry to follow the man's directions. Sailing around the island gave the pirates several different angles to observe the city, but that made it no less amazing. Finally, they dropped anchor off the shore of what seemed to be the only natural dirt above water. "Alright, let's go get that money!"

"I'll come with you, Nami-swan!" Sanji declared.

"No, you aren't," Luffy protested. "You're going grocery shopping because I need meat and Nami need fertilizer stuff for her trees."

Sanji tried to argue, but in the end, it was decided that Luffy, Nami, Usopp, Amy, and Coby would go get the gold exchanged. The men were there to carry it, Nami went because she was the treasurer, and Amy was going to try to work out how to extend her Devil Fruit power to objects she wasn't touching.

Granny Kokoro had mentioned before they'd left the train station that it would take a week for the Log Pose to lock on to the next island, so Nami took that time to give each person their allowance for the island: 50,001 Beris each. She was feeling generous.

"Alright!" Luffy happily called at the quintet reached the archway into the city. "Let's go get us a shipwright!"

"What's a yagara bull?" Coby questioned, reading the sign for the arch.

"Don't know," the captain shrugged. "Let's find out!" A heavy-set man with brown hair greeted the group as they entered the shop. Behind him were two pools separated by a fence.

"Welcome to Water 7," the businessman, a greasy-looking man with slicked-back hair, greeted. "What can I do for you?"

"What's a yagara?" Luffy asked.

"Yagara bulls, or yagaras, are the main mode of transportation here in Water 7. They are a breed of fish that look like horses and can breathe both above and below the water."

"That's so cool!" Luffy and Usopp yelled, stars in their eyes.

"How much are they?" Nami questioned, holding her own sack of Beris tightly.

"You can rent one for the day for 1,000 Beris, one for the week for 6,500 Beris, or you can buy one for the right price."

"Nami, can we get a yagara?"

"No, Luffy. Where would be put it?"

"I don't know," the captain shrugged, "but it would be a great pet!"

"Anyway," Coby stepped in front of the bickering couple as he remembered the name of the shipbuilding company. "Can you lead us to Galley-La?"

"If you don't know where that is or what yagaras are," the man thought aloud, "then I take it you're not from around here?"

"We aren't," Amy confirmed.

"Hold on," Nami ordered. "We can't go to Galley-La, yet. We need to exchange our gold for Beris first."

"Gold?" the salesman questioned excitedly. "Ahem, well don't let me stand in your way. How many yagaras would you like? Five people with three bags, I'd say four yagaras. They can hold two at a time." Whistling without waiting for confirmation, he opened the gate between the pools to allow four yagaras, colored blue, green, yellow, and red respectively, to swim through and plant saddles on their backs. As the men moved to place the sacks of gold in the saddles, Nami turned back to the salesman.

"How much did you say they were?"

"Hm? Oh, that'll be one million Beris each."

"Don't lie to us!" Usopp yelled.

"My mistake. Five million."

"That's even more!"

"Looks like I can't swindle you, then," the man sighed. "That's 4,000 Beris to rent four bulls for the day."

"That's better," Nami nodded as she handed him the bag of money, deciding to not mention that the stack contained about 550 Beris less than what the man had asked for. In exchange, he handed her a map of the city and pointed out both the shopping district and the Galley-La Company.

Their business done, the pirates moved to the yagaras. Luffy and Nami took the blue one with the captain still grumbling that he wanted one for a pet, Amy all but demanded the yellow bull, Coby took the green, and Usopp was left with the red. Waving at the man, they departed.

* * *

"I guess I missed my chance," Chopper whined, leaning on the railing of the ship. He stared longingly at the city.

"Don't fret, Doctor," Robin commented. "You can go with me."

"Really? Can we go to a bookstore?!"

"Of course," the archaeologist smiled.

"Yay!" In his excitement, the reindeer began running around the deck in his Walk Point.

"Keep it down over there, Chopper!" Zoro yelled. "I'm trying to sleep!"

"Me too!" Grace agreed.

"Sorry," Chopper whispered. Robin just giggled.

* * *

"What's that crowd about?" Luffy asked as their rented yagaras approached the first shipyard of the Galley-La Company.

"We don't know," Usopp answered. "Why would we know?"

"He wasn't talking to us, Long-Nose," Amy admonished as the yagaras pulled up to the sidewalk and the pirates disembarked with their treasure. Even if they were only a few feet away, they weren't going to take any chances. Luckily, Amy had had some success and managed to lighten Usopp's load with her powers; she was still being passive-aggressive against Coby and Luffy was more than strong enough to carry his without trouble.

"Excuse me," Nami said, tapping on the shoulder of a man near the back of the crowd while trying to look cute. She was more likely to get answers that way. "Why is there a crowd?"

"You all must be tourists," the man deduced. "Some pirates were causing a ruckus in the shipyard, but the men of Galley-La were able to handle it. The people here, I guess you can call us their fan club. The shipwrights are the pride and joy of Water 7, after all."

"So the shipwrights are strong enough to take down Grand Line pirates?" Coby questioned. "That's amazing."

"That's nothing for the Galley-La Company; the best shipwrights in the world!"

"As great as they may be," Amy pointed out, "we can't buy anything without actual Beris."

"Right," Nami agreed. "Thank you, sir. Could you direct us toward the bank?"

* * *

A small group of men crept toward the Merry, climbing over the ridge quietly. Zoro, sleeping on the deck, was the only crewmember in sight. Grace and Gin were both in the ship, the former because she couldn't sleep with Zoro's snoring. Merry, knowing she couldn't reveal herself, stayed quiet. Still, she loosened the boards around the swordsman so they would squeak. The man in the lead of the invading group unsheathed a sword and slunk forward with weapon raised to kill the green-haired man.

His sword, however, never struck. Instead, it was blocked by a pair of tonfa glittering gold in the sunlight. Zoro barely opened his eyes, alerted to the danger by the squeak of the boards, the smell of ozone, and the clang of the weapons meeting.

"They're all yours, Gin," the lazy swordsman yawned. "They'll be good practice."

"Alright," the lightning-man nodded as sparks began to fall from his skin. Still lacking full control of his powers, some of the man's hair seemed to float in response to the charge dancing over his skin. "Who are you and what are you doing on the ship of the Straw Hat Pirates?"

"You haven't heard of us?" the man in the lead chuckled. "That's fine since we've heard of you, Man-Demon Gin and Pirate Hunter Zoro. We're the Franky Family, a notorious group of ship dismantlers and bounty hunters, and we're here to claim your bounties. Nothing personal."

"Sure," Gin nodded, spinning his weapons. "Nothing personal. 3000 Watt Slam!"

* * *

"CP9."

* * *

The pirates had found the bank and exchanged their gold, and Nami couldn't be happier. Point in fact, she was hugging Luffy tightly to her chest and screaming without a care in the world. Luffy didn't seem to mind at all.

"One billion Beris!"

Indeed, the total worth of all the treasure the Straw Hats had accumulated from Skypia as well as what remained from both Gasparde's plunder and the lost treasure of the Rainbow Mist was one billion Beris, the money now split between ten suitcases of 100 million each. Considering the fact that every time, every member of the crew had been expected to carry as much as they could and then some, Nami's forceful greed had finally yielded an amazing crop. That and her bargaining _might_ have raised the overall value of some of the items.

"Be quiet," Usopp warned. "If you shout like that, someone will come to steal it all!"

"Ha!" the woman laughed, still riding her money high. "As if anyone could get past Luffy, Coby, or Amy!"

"So where to now?" Coby asked. "Are we heading back to the Merry or going on to Galley-La?"

"We can head to Galley-La and settle everything there," Nami decided, releasing Luffy from the pillow-like hug. The rubber-man staggered away, mumbling something with swirls in his eyes and a thin trail of blood dripping from his nose. "We'll take the money that's left back to the Merry."

"Sounds like a plan," Amy agreed. Hopping back on their yagaras, the group soon made their way back to the pride of Water 7. The crowds from before had dispersed, leaving the view of the short, rope fence around Dock 1 open. A large door with a one engraved on it stood out, its top far over the small fence.

"So now we just have to find this Ice-guy that woman mentioned," Luffy commented. "That shouldn't be too hard."

"But we don't even know what he looks like," Nami pointed out. "And we don't know procedure for this place. Can we just walk in?"

"One way to find out!" Luffy answered as he walked over to jump the fence.

"Woah there, Big Shot," a worker said, stopping the captain's attempted entrance. He was a taller man with ginger hair wearing a blue-and-orange jumpsuit and a white hat that read Galley. Under his big, black eyes sat a long, square nose like Usopp's, but _square_. A tool belt was hooked around his waist. "Can't let you in here, Partner. Workers only, you know? What can I help you with?"

"We're here to do business," Nami answered before Luffy could say anything stupid. "We aren't from around here, so we don't know where to go, but we have a reference letter from Granny Kokoro to Iceberg."

"A reference letter from Granny Kokoro?" Square Usopp questioned as Coby passed the letter to him. "Don't see that every day, no siree. Well, in that case, why don't you let me scedadle on down to check out your ship? Then you can start talking about cost right away."

"Sure," Luffy nodded. "We're anchored on that small island outside of town."

"Sweet." Dropping his belt, Square Usopp began stretching before getting into a sprinter position. Without warning, he took off, jumping over the water gate and onto the rooftops of the buildings below.

"Holy shit!" Coby cursed. "He's going to get himself killed!"

" _Well_ , no he won't," someone drawled. Turning back to see the source of the voice, the group saw a man with short blue hair in a striped, button-up shirt and dress pants. Next to him was a honey-blonde woman in business attire with a note book. In the pocket of the man's shirt was a white mouse he was petting with a single finger. "They call him Kaku of the Spring Wind. _Well_ , he does that a lot."

"Who are you?" Amy questioned, tossing aside the stray though that they'd been asking that a lot lately.

"The real question is, who are you? Khalifa?"

"I've already done a thorough background check," the woman answered. "The one in the middle is 'Straw Hat' Luffy and to his left is 'Tri-Horn' Coby. Other wanted members of their crew are 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro, 'Man-Demon' Gin, and 'Devil Child' Nico Robin. He also has six other crewmembers without bounties. Originating from the East Blue, the crew are named after their captain and are known as the Straw Hat Pirates. Their number of Devil Fruit users in unconfirmed, but reports have put the number between five and six. They have a collective bounty of 279 million Beris."

"You've got a lot of information on us," Coby blinked, ignoring Usopp's panicking.

"Of course," the man responded. "Khalifa is the best assistant I've ever had."

"That's sexual harassment," the woman interrupted.

"Anyway, welcome to Water 7. I'm Iceberg. _Well_ , since we're waiting for Kaku to return, how would you feel about a tour of the company?"

"That sounds great, Ice-Pops!" Without warning, the man's secretary lashed out with a series of kicks that left Usopp on the ground and the suitcases he had been carrying behind him. Amy had also dropped a suitcase, but she was more focused on the woman who had attacked.

"I will not permit you to talk to one of the world's leading engineers in that manner," Khalifa explained.

"Yes, please try not to provoke her," Iceberg begged, the right half of his face swollen. "When she kicks out in anger, her aim sucks."

"Oh, Ice-Pops," Luffy added, handing the man their reference letter. "We have a letter for you from this old woman at a train station."

" _Well_ , it's from Kokoro," the man nodded before he began tearing up the letter. "Anyway, shall we get started?"

"Wait, where's the money?!" Usopp screamed.

 **End of Chapter 68**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	69. Bad News

**Sorry for the delay, all. I was on a two-day canoe trip (flipped twice, btw), and didn't get back until 4. Then I had to speed through some online-classwork. However, Here is the next chapter. It's not too interesting, more of a filler chapter since much of it is Canon, but I'm sure you all know about those necessary evils, right?**

* * *

 **Chapter 69:**

 **Bad News**

"Those guys stole our money!" Usopp shouted, pointing at four men on two yagaras celebrating with the suitcases Usopp had lost. All three were dressed similarly in metal-like one-piece outfits.

"What?" the other four Straw Hat pirates yelled.

"They've got my money!" Nami continued, yelling over the shouting from both the men in the boats and a group of men in suits chasing a blond man on a nearby bridge. "Luffy, get it back!"

"Those jerks!" the captain growled. "We need that for the Merry!" Ignoring the blond man running from debt collectors on the bridge above, Luffy threw his arms out to grip the handles of the suitcases. Luffy's arms retracted, ripping the cases out of the hands of the thieves as the man jumped over the side of the bridge to escape his pursuers.

"Pardon me!" the man called. "I need to borrow your yagaras. Rope Action!" Out of the sleeves of the man's denim jacket came ropes that wrapped around the felons and yanked them off their boats. Landing in one, he took the reins and started taunting the debt collectors.

 _"Well,_ it looks like Paulie's at it again," Iceberg sighed.

"Indeed," Khalifa answered. "Shall I have Lucci retrieve him as usual?"

"Yes," Iceberg nodded. "And clear my schedule while you're at it."

"Already done."

" _Well_ , good job." Turning back to the group of pirates who were rejoicing at the return of their money, he said, "You all were lucky. The Franky Family is a dangerous group."

"Who are they?" Amy asked.

"By trade, the Franky Family is a group of ship dismantlers," Khalifa responded, adjusting her glasses, "but they are also notorious bounty hunters who are always causing trouble when pirates are in town."

"Do you think they've attacked the Merry?" Usopp fretted.

"Don't worry," Coby replied. "Zoro-sensei and Gin are there to deal with them if they attack."

"Yeah, you're right," Usopp nodded. "No need to worry."

 _"Well,_ anyway," Iceberg interrupted, "shall we get this tour started?"

* * *

"That must be it," Kaku muttered to himself as he landed, his gaze landing on the Going Merry. His eyes absorbed the image of her outer damages as he approached the ship. He had to stop, however, when a man appeared in front of him with a crack of thunder, a sparking, golden ball just touching his nose.

"Are you another member of the Franky Family?" Gin questioned, his narrowed eyes boring into the shipwright.

"Oh golly, no," Kaku answered, his hands in the air. "I'm from Galley-La. Your captain sent me down to inspect your ship."

"Prove it," Gin ordered. "Describe the man with a nose like yours."

"Curly black hair and brown overalls?" Slowly, Gin lowered his weapons and replaced his headband.

"Sorry about that," the pirate apologized as the rubber turned him fully-human again. "We were attacked by the Franky Family earlier and I was afraid they had called for reinforcements."

"Jeepers, you have to be careful of people like the Franky Family, but I'm here to get a quote on your ship. Can't discuss the price of repairs if we don't know what we're repairing."

"That makes sense," Gin responded. "Follow me." Walking over the ship, the pirate jumped up to grab the end of a ladder, pulling it down so the two men could climb aboard. Reaching the railing, Gin habitually took in his surroundings and chucked, shaking his head as he climbed the rest of the way. Kaku couldn't help but laugh at was he saw.

On the opposite side of the ship was a sleeping man with green hair, three swords in his grip identifying him as the infamous "Pirate Hunter" Zoro. Next to him was a young teen girl with red hair in two braids. She was, carefully and quietly, painting on his face. He currently had whiskers and glasses and she was in the process of writing "directionless" on his forehead. Noticing Gin and his plus one, she brought a finger to her lips and smirked.

"Don't mind Grace," Gin waved off, introducing the girl. "She won't do that to you unless you fall asleep and she's feeling mischievous."

"I wasn't planning on sleeping on the job anyway," Kaku replied, blinking. He knew his training was tell him that all pirates were evil, but this crew seemed to be an exception. How else could the crewmate of a man worth 60 million draw on his face, multiple times if he was taking the hints from the Man-Demon, and get away with it? "Anyway, I'll get the inspection started. Just pretend I'm not here."

"If you say so. Hey, Grace! You wanted to try to learn how to paint on a Logia?"

"Oh, sure," the girl responded, finishing her masterpiece with a cat nose. "Which paint do you want me to use this time?"

* * *

"This place is so cool!" Luffy's head was on a swivel as Iceberg showed the group around Dock 1. Everywhere one looked, the best shipwrights in the world were hard at work making sure every piece was up to standard. None of it made any sense to Nami, Coby, or Amy, but Usopp was absolutely enthralled in the cannons some of the shipwrights were polishing as he ran over to see them close-up.

"Geeze, Ice-Pops," Luffy laughed. "This place is really big. Hey, can I go look at that one?"

" _Well_ , sure. Just don't mess with anything."

"Sorry about him," Nami apologized as the excitable teen rushed off. "He may be our captain, but he still acts like a little kid."

"I'm sure you thought otherwise that night in Skypia," Amy smirked. "After all, you two had your own little _party_ , didn't you?"

"You what?!" Coby nearly screeched, his face going red. The navigator was no better as she babbled some sort of denial.

"That's interesting," Khalifa noted impartially. "Shall I add this information to their documents?"

" _Well_ , I don't care," Iceberg waved off. Khalifa nodded and marked down the tidbit. " _Well_ , anyway, this is the first dock of the Galley-La Company. Working here are the best of the best under the best five foremans. Kaku, the man with the long nose, is one of them. Here, we don't care about personality, only skill. So, even if they seem a little strange, every person here is one of the best."

"I don't think this crew cares about strange," Coby commented. "By the way, we're looking for a shipwright to join our crew. Is there anyone you would recommend?" Iceberg stopped, balking.

"You mean your crew has made it this far without a shipwright?" The man's voice was filled with disbelief.

"If we had, we wouldn't have had to come here for repairs," Amy pointed out.

"Yo, Boss!" Kaku called, leaping over the dock's entrance to land next to the pirates. "Oh, I see the pirates found you. That makes things easier."

"Have you checked the Merry, yet?" Nami asked. "How much will she cost? Money isn't a problem." Coby and Amy balked, gaping at the navigator. Kaku said nothing as he moved to sit on some lumber.

"Captain Luffy!" Coby yelled, getting over his shock. "We need you back here!"

"Ok!" The rubber-man jumped from the galleon he was standing on. "Where's Usopp?"

"Are these yours?" a dock worker asked, holding out the suitcases the sniper was supposed to oversee. With a sigh, Nami accepted the carriers and placed them next to the other eight. Usopp was still unaccounted for.

"I have bad news," Kaku finally muttered, the pirates stiffening.

"What is it?" Luffy demanded. "Whatever it is, we'll pay. No price is too steep for our Merry."

"It's not about price," the shipwright responded. "I can tell that you all love that ship and that she's been through a lot. I'm sorry, but your ship can't be fixed."

"What do you mean?" Amy got out. She may have not ridden the Going Merry for as long as most of the others with her, but it was still her home.

"The keel is the backbone of any ship. Your ship's keel his busted. Freshly-busted, I'll admit, so it's a good thing you're here, but she can't go any further."

"Can't you just replace it?" Luffy questioned.

"That would be like building a brand-all new ship." Kaku shook his head. "And I'm sorry, but the odds of making it to the next island with a busted keel, even if you made it here, is zero."

Luffy was in shock. He couldn't believe what these people were telling him. Had he been any less mature, he would have told than that he didn't care, that they would keep sailing the Merry, but he knew that wasn't possible. He'd known for a long time that the Merry would meet her end during their journey.

"But..." Coby cried. "But..."

"Hey, Iceberg!" a man interrupted. He was tall and tan with no shirt to hide his muscular and tattooed upper body. His black hair was uniform around his head save for one spike shooting out and maroon pants hid his legs.

"Oh, Lulu," Iceberg greeted. "Now may not be the best time."

"Sorry, but there are some government officials at the door waiting to see you. Do you want me to tell them you aren't here?"

"That would be nice," the man nodded. "Thank you."

"Ah, Iceberg," a short man in a suit sneered, he and two bodyguards approaching through the dock. Kaku quickly ushered the saddened pirates behind the lumber. It wouldn't do for paying customers to be arrested.

"Hello, Corgi. As you can see, I'm not here at the moment. Could you leave a message?"

"Don't screw with me, Iceberg," Corgi snarled. "I came here by sea train just to meet with you; it would be impolite to turn me away."

"So?" Iceberg questioned childishly, picking his nose. "I don't like you."

"We have things to discuss, Iceberg," the government official spat, losing his patience. "Come on."

"Hey, Nami?" Luffy asked as Iceberg and his secretary were all but dragged away. "I think we have a problem."

"What is it now?" the girl snapped quietly.

"These suitcases are really light."

"What do you mean, really light?"

Coby chose to bypass talking and opened the suitcases that were supposed to be in Usopp's care. They were empty.

"What?!" the four pirates all but screamed. "Some of our money's gone!"

"Yo, Kaku," the man Iceberg had called Lulu said, completely ignoring the pirates. "What were you doing hanging around the Franky Family earlier?"

"What do you mean?" Kaku responded. "I haven't seen a member of the Franky Family all day."

"Are you sure? Huh. I thought I saw your long nose earlier."

"Did you say 'long nose'?" Amy questioned.

"Yeah," Lulu answered. "Although I guess hanging out and being dragged away are kinda different."

"The Franky Family got Usopp," Nami deduced. "And 200 million of our Beris!"

"We'll go teach them a lesson," Luffy growled, punching his palm. "Let's take this stuff back to the Merry. Then we'll track down those bastards and show them what happens when they mess with us."

 **End of Chapter 69**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	70. The Franky House

**Alright! I'm going to post this early because I have time and why the Hell not. I have a boatload of homework to do tomorrow and my job officially starts on Sunday, so that's good. Either way, let's go!**

* * *

 **Chapter 70:**

 **The Franky House**

"Those damn yellow-bellied, long-necked, ugly, little assholes!" Nami raged, stomping through the streets of Water 7. Luffy followed several feet behind her, his stretched arm being used as his girlfriend's personal stress ball. Coby and Grace, having abandoned their captain with the fuming navigator, had fled with all four yagaras the first chance they'd gotten and, while Luffy was still pissed that they couldn't repair the Merry, he was currently terrified of the orange-haired girl dragging him along. Luffy watched Nami round a corner before them before feeling the tension on his stretched arm go slack.

"Nami?" the teen questioned. "What's wrong?"

"I found Usopp," the navigator whispered, all anger in her tone lost. Luffy followed her around the turn before freezing in his tracks.

The only sign of the sniper was a brown boot sticking out of an alley, but the slight redness on the concrete around him was not a good sign. Neither was the soft wailing emanating from the alleyway.

"Usopp?" Luffy asked, stepping toward the entrance of the alley. The sniper's sobbing stopped immediately, becoming replaced with wheezing and gasping.

"Luffy?" Usopp questioned quietly. "Luffy! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"Usopp, calm down," Luffy ordered. "What happened to you?" There was silence for a moment, Usopp's boot pulling itself into the alley. Slowly, the long-nosed sniper carefully stepped out into the light.

Usopp was a wreck. His nose was bent at the wrong angle, pointing straight upward toward the sky and still dripping blood. His clothing was ruffled at the least, being torn and bloodied everywhere else. He was missing one shoe and both of the lenses from his goggles were gone. The worst part, however, were the tears pouring down from his eyes.

"Luffy," Usopp whispered. "I lost it. My part of the money... That 200 million i was supposed to protect... It's gone."

"We know, Usopp," the captain responded. "We'll get it back."

"B-But, Luffy!" he whimpered. "B-But..." Usopp trailed off, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. The sniper slumped, falling to ground. Luffy dove for him, just barely inserting himself between the unconscious teen and the hard ground.

"Those bastards," Nami growled quietly, but the venom in her words was gone. The spite had been replaced with pity.

Pity for the member of their crew with the most to lose from the lost of their beautiful, brave ship

* * *

With their injured friend, Luffy and Nami made their way back to their dying ship and had Chopper treat the sniper. Leaving Usopp to rest rest in the cabin and disregarding the doctor's worry about Robin disappearing mysteriously, Luffy, Zoro, Coby, Sanji, Gin, Amy, Grace, and Chopper set out to get the revenge they believed was do. The Franky House was located on a small island toward the north of Scrap Heap Island where the Merry was docked, the building being a mixture of every type of building material on Water 7.

"Is this it?" Luffy asked, eyeing the lopsided building covered in steel and stars. Zoro tapped Wado Ichimonji against his shoulder impatiently.

"Yeah," Coby confirmed as Sanji lit a cigarette. Next to him, Gin removed his headband and lit a cigarette of his own with a sparking thumb and Chopper pawed the ground.

"What are we waiting for?" Amy questioned with Grace munching on a rice cracker angrily, the sounds of a party reaching the pirates from inside the building. Stepping forward, the assault began.

The group walked over to the large steel door, Luffy knocking on it to get the attention of whoever was inside. The sounds within stopped, a palpable curiosity filling the air. The lock on the door clicked as a man who had to have some giant blood in him opened the entrance.

"What do you want?" he demanded before he seemed to recognize members of the visiting party.

"Revenge," Luffy answered, reeling his arm back to punch the man in the face. The huge man tumbled back, falling on and breaking a card table near the center of the room. The other people in the room stared at the entrance, each one of them dressed in steel overalls with a pink star in the middle.

"Who the Hell are you?!" a slightly-overweight man with spiky black hair questioned.

"That's Straw Hat Luffy!"

"And Pirate Hunter Zoro!"

"Tri-Horn and the Man-Demon as well!"

"It's time you bastards learned what happens when you mess with my Nakama and steal from us," Luffy growled, stepping into the building as he cracked his knuckles. His hat, usually nonthreatening, shadowed his eyes.

"Now hold on a second!" Spiky Hair tried to reason. "If this is about the 200 million, it's gone already! Big Bro Franky already took it to go on a shopping spree!"

"This isn't about the money," Luffy growled. "You attacked our friend and we're gonna make damn sure you regret it."

"You think you can take us on?" another man with giant blood laughed. "You think the eight of you can take out the entire Franky Family?"

"Amy," Luffy grunted, holding out his right hand. With a nod, the woman jumped onto his palm as Luffy stretched his arm back. "Gum-Gum Parasol Cannon!" The captain launched a one-half kilogram Amy as fast as he could, the blonde increasing her mass as soon as she was away while keeping her speed. With a yell, she slammed her 5,000-kilogram body into the giant man, shattering his armor.

"What?!" the natives of Water 7 yelled. Amy just smiled menacingly, twirling her parasol from atop the downed man who groaned in pain as she increased her mass. The floor gave way a second later, forming a crater beneath her.

"Fire the cannons!" Spiky Hair ordered, five cannons booming in response as they released their contents at the invading group.

"Three Sword Style: Ravens' Talons!" Each of the iron cannonballs split in half, exploding behind the stationary pirates. Zoro then lowered his left sword, seeming to barely touch the closest cannon which split down the middle. Spiky Hair growled, charging Zoro. Coby intercepted, punching the man in the face without changing.

"Zanbai!" several members of the Franky Family cried, identifying the man. "Run for the back door!" There was a flash and a whiff of ozone. Suddenly, Gin was standing in front of the only exit, idly spinning one sparking tonfa.

"Fire the Anything Cannon!" Another boom, and swords, nails, wooden boards, cups, and other random things were fired at the man blocking the exit. None of it was rubber, however, so all the items just went through the Man-Demon, the latent electricity in his body frying the items to a crisp. Gin smiled evilly.

"You asked if we thought the eight of us could beat the entire Franky Family?" the Logia chuckled darkly. "We could have beaten you with only four. 3000 Watt Slam!"

"Party Table Kick Course!"

"Rumble! Horn Point!"

"Colors Trap: Sadness Blue!"

* * *

The building had exploded. Nothing remained of the Franky House save for its foundation and the charred outer walls. Scattered amongst the debris were the smoking bodies of the Franky Family, each considerably wounded but not dead.

"They really didn't know where their boss went or what he wanted to buy," Sanji sighed, blowing smoke and glaring at the yellow-green painted Franky Family mook beneath him. Gin leaned against the rubble next to the chef, a cigarette between his own fully-human lips. Amy sighed next to him, idly tossing the grunt she'd been grilling for information over the wall behind them.

"80 million is still a lot," Coby muttered optimistically in his Dino Mode with Grace using him as a pillow. "We could still buy an amazing ship."

"So you managed to talk to that long-nosed shipwright," Zoro grunted. "I still don't like it. The Merry's been with us a long time. We all love her."

"I'm starting to not like this island," Chopper whined. "First Robin goes missing and then we find out that the Merry's on her last legs. The only thing that could be worse is if somebody left the crew."

"Don't jinx us," Gin commented. "I just want to know who'll be the one to break the news to Usopp. He loves the Merry more than any of us."

"I'll tell him," Luffy stated. The teen was a ways away from the group, watching the sea from atop one of the building's moon-shaped decorations that had survived the explosion.

"Captain Luffy..." Coby whispered sadly.

"I'm the captain, and it's my decision that we're getting a new ship. I love the Merry as much as you guys, but she's just a ship. If she were alive, it would be different, but that's impossible. We have to let her go here."

"Should we go get it over with, then?" Amy suggested. "Rip the bandage off, so to speak?"

"When Usopp wakes up," Luffy agreed. Not exactly filled with the sense of accomplishment that they had set out for, the group of eight returned to the Merry to await their friend's return to consciousness.

* * *

Luffy was watching the sunset when Chopper announced that Usopp was awake. Despite the others' excitement, Luffy was solemn for once. He'd talked with the rest of the crew for their opinions and approaches, and now it was time to use them.

"You moron," the captain heard the cook chastising as he entered. "Do you know how worried we've been?" Usopp didn't react to the good-natured taunt as a fresh wave of tears began leaking from his eyes, his hands crumpling the sheets in their grasp.

"I'm s-sorry, guys," he babbled. "I'm j-just w-weak. You c-can't trust me w-with money and now I've gone and l-lost it all."

"We didn't lose it all," Gin corrected. "Only a fifth. We still have 800 million."

"That's not what we're here to talk about, though," Luffy grunted. "Usopp, there's something you need to know."

"What is it?" Usopp questioned. "Is it about the Merry? Do we have enough for the repairs? They're going to cost more than we thought, aren't they?"

"It's not that." Luffy shook his head and pulled out a chair to sit down. "We talked with the shipwrights. They said that the fact that we made it here in one piece was a stroke of luck."

"What are you saying?" Usopp demanded, drawing the right conclusion, but denying it all the same. "Are you saying that they want to buy us a new ship? ARE YOU GIVING UP ON THE MERRY?!"

"SHUT UP!" Luffy ordered, silencing the sniper. "I... I don't want to. Merry's been with us since you joined in the East Blue, and we have a lot of memories with her, but that doesn't mean she's invincible." Luffy was choking up. "I don't want to give up on her," he whispered sadly.

"Then don't!" Usopp cried.

"Her keel is busted," Amy offered. "The shipwrights called it the backbone of the ship."

"Can't we just replace it?" Usopp tried.

"I asked the same thing," Luffy responded.

"The shipwrights said they could do that," Coby answered with a shack of his head, "but it wouldn't be the same. They'd be building another boat, just with Merry's pieces."

"I'm sorry, Usopp," Luffy apologized, "but we have to let her go. If Merry was alive, it would be different, but she's just a ship. And she wasn't meant for the Grand Line."

"When a human gets hurt, we get stronger," Zoro grunted before Usopp could interject, "but ships don't heal. They're wounds just keep on growing and adding up. And let's admit it, Usopp; you aren't a shipwright."

"Usopp, I want you to do something for me." The sniper turned toward his captain whose eyes were steady, but looking deep within, Usopp could see the pain this conversation was causing. "I want you to call Kaya and talk to her."

"What does Kaya have to do with this?" Usopp demanded, rounding on the rosette.

"Kaya gave us the Merry," Coby replied. "She knew that we would have to replace her eventually. We want you to get her opinion."

"...Ok," Usopp finally choked out. He wanted nothing more than to yell and scream and punch right now, and in another life, he may have, but he had known this day would come. He had known somewhere in the darkest, furthest pits of his heart that they would have to part with their ship at some point. Maybe, depending on what Kaya says, he still will scream and fight for the ship, but until then, he would hold himself off.

"Here, Usopp," Sanji muttered, holding out the transponder snail Usopp had bought for himself back in Alabasta. It was purple in color with Usopp's personal Jolly Roger painted on the side of its white shell. He had jokingly named it Captain.

"We'll give you some alone time," Nami offered, she and the others exiting the room one by one, Chopper being the last to leave with a backwards glance. Usopp sat in bed, staring at the sleeping snail for several minutes, his mind running faster than anyone with a cheetah Zoan could ever hope to. Finally, he picked up the receiver and dialed Kaya's number with a shaky hand.

BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP...

CA-LICK!

"Hello?" Kaya's soft voice floated out of the snail's mouth.

"Kaya," Usopp said, trying, and failing, to keep his voice steady.

"Usopp! How are you? Have you gone on any new adventures lately? How's Coby doing? He's got to have grown since you all left. Merry's been wondering about him."

"Kaya, Luffy wants to replace the ship."

"...Wait." The snail blinked, mimicking the girl on the other end of the line. "You mean you're still using the Going Merry?" Kaya's voice held surprise, awe, and confusion. It was then that Usopp realized that the others were right: Kaya did know that the Merry wasn't cut out for the Grand Line. "I thought you'd replaced it already!"

"You did?"

"Well, yeah. Merry said that the Going Merry could have lasted two more years here in the East Blue, but that she would probably only last about two and a half months on the Grand Line. It's been nearly four since you left! I thought you just hadn't wanted to tell me you got rid of the ship I gave you and that's why you didn't mention getting a new ship. The crew must be pretty cramped on a ship that small."

"Kaya, are you suggesting-?"

"Yes," the girl responded. "You need a new ship."

"Fine," Usopp whispered, a fresh wave of tears rolling from his eyes. "Fine! We'll replace the Merry."

Little did any of the crew know, but the figurehead was defying the laws of nature, a steady stream of tears falling from her own, forever-open eyes. They were sad tears, not because they were replacing her, not fully, but because her plan had worked. Because Merry had been right.

They didn't know she was alive. And from what the captain had said, that's why they could move on.

 **End of Chapter 70**

* * *

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 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	71. Iceberg's Shot? Enter Franky!

**Chapter 71:**

 **Iceberg's Shot? Enter Franky!**

The sun rose on a beautiful day, the weather a stark contrast to the gloomy moods of the pirates docked on one of the capes. Having decided the previous night to replace their beloved ship, it was agreed that Luffy, Nami, Coby, and Usopp would go back to Galley-La with two of the yagaras to get a catalogue and choose a new ship while Sanji, Gin, Zoro, and Chopper volunteered to go looking for Robin with the other two. Amy and Grace had opted to stay on the Merry in case the Franky Family got any funny ideas.

The people of Water 7 were more active than the last day, nearly every person staring as a newspaper in their hands. Something big had happened last night, and it was shaking the city. The pirates, however, knew nothing of this, so they were surprised when they reached the gate of Galley-La to find a giant crowd calling out for Iceberg.

"What's going on here?" Usopp questioned.

"Excuse me," Nami asked, tapping a man on the shoulder. "What's going on? Why is there such a big crowd?"

"Are you not from around here?" the man responded to which Nami shook her head. "Somebody shot Mayor Iceberg last night."

"Ice-Pops was shot?!" Luffy demanded.

"Yeah," the man scowled. "I bet it was the Franky Family. Those bastards are always causing trouble, but now they've taken it too far."

"I doubt it was them," Coby thought aloud. "We really did a number on them last night. I doubt they'd be able to move until sometime today."

"You guys did what?" the man gasped.

"Nothing," Nami tried to wave off. "Anyway-" Nami was cut off as war drums began to thump around the area. On the top of a bridge, three silhouettes stood behind a tan screen. In a panic, people began to flee.

"Did I hear someone say my name?" a masculine voice asked through what sounded like a loudspeaker.

"No! Go away!"

"We don't want you here!"

"You're the one who shot Iceberg, aren't you?!"

Rather than respond, the screen was tossed away, revealing a tall man and two women. The women were obviously sisters as they looked similar save for their clothing and hair: the one on the left had curly hair in the shape of a square rather than straight hair in the shape of a square.

The man in the center wore nothing but an open, Hawaiian-style shirt to reveal his abs and a speedo. His forearms were much larger than the rest of his appendages in a way reminiscent of the old Popeye comics of the West Blue, but with a blue star tattooed on each forearm instead of an anchor. The man's metal nose sparkled in the sunlight and his light blue pompadour seemed to defy gravity and run down into two sideburns that framed his three-pronged chin.

"I'm Water 7's number one super guy!

The face of the underworld, and you know why!

The man with the plan, the power and fame!

That's why everybody knows my name!

Wow!"

Striking a pose with his forearms pressed together to form one star out of two halves, the man finished his intro.

"I'm Franky!" With his declaration, the crowd began to run, both on foot and by yagara. Lifting his sunglasses, Franky yelled, "Show yourself, Straw Hat! I know you're down there!" Realizing that the most feared man in Water 7 wasn't there for them seemed to freeze the populace in place, stopping to see what would come of this.

"I'm Straw Hat!" Luffy yelled, standing up on their yagara so the man could see. "You're the one in charge of the guys that beat up Usopp and stole our money!"

"And you're the one in charge of the guys who wrecked my house!" Franky retorted. "You shouldn't have done that!"

"Then you shouldn't have provoked us!"

"If this is about the money we stole, I spent it all! You aren't getting it back!"

"I don't care about the money!" Luffy shouted. "This is about your guys attacking my friends!"

"I don't care if we started it! You guys are pirates, so what are you going to do? Call the government for help?"

"I'm just gonna kick your ass!"

"I'd like to see you try!" Franky laughed. The man began sucking in air, causing his chest to expand. As if snapped back to the present, the crowd began to flee once more.

"Fresh Fire!" As the name implied, a giant fireball shot toward the Straw Hat's rented yagaras from the man's mouth, the yagaras quickly swimming away. The fire crashed into the water where the boat-toting fish had been just before.

"What the Hell?!" Nami and Usopp screamed, the water behind them steaming.

"Devil Fruit?" Coby theorized. As if in response, Franky dove off the bridge and into the water, disproving the rosette's theory. "Swim!" he ordered the bulls.

The yagaras took off toward the sidewalk just in time to avoid the man as he launched himself out of the water where the rented transportation had been. Knowing that it was him the man wanted, Luffy jumped upward to separate himself from his crewmembers.

"Strong Right!" Franky yelled, punching forward with his right arm. Much to the shock of the pirates, his fist and half of his forearm separated from the rest of his arm. The fist, connected by a chain, slammed into Luffy's gut and shoved him into Dock 1's gate. Retracting his arm, Franky left the pirate stuck in the doors for gravity to slowly pull him downward.

"What are you?" Usopp demanded, his slingshot trained on the self-proclaimed "face of the underworld".

"Me?" Franky questioned, pulling his arm off to show the chain. "I'm just a guy with a few extra parts. A cyborg, you might say." At that moment, Luffy fell, hitting the sidewalk with a thud. Nami ran to him, heedless of the robot-man she passed.

"Luffy!" she fretted, dropping next to him. Carefully, the captain removed his hat from his head and dropped it on Nami's: a sure sign that he thought the fight was going to get ugly. Standing up, Luffy gently pushed his lover back before punching the cyborg in the face. Despite the pain from hitting the man's metal nose, the rubber-man felt the satisfying crunch of his opponent's sunglasses breaking as the cyborg was launched back into the water.

"You're tougher than you look, Straw Hat," Franky conceded, wiping a drop of blood from the side of his mouth as surfaced, "but I'm tougher." Jumping out of the water, the cyborg threw his right fist forward again, this time hitting Luffy with enough force to shove him through Dock 1's doors. Luffy rolled head over heels before flipping onto his feet and skidding to a stop as Franky sauntered into the shipyard.

"Kiwi, Mozu," the bounty hunter grunted, not removing his eyes from his opponent. "Stay back. This is going to get messy."

"Guys," Luffy growled, cracking his knuckles. "This is my fight. Stay out of it."

"If nothing else, you've got pride," the cyborg admitted. "Pellets Left!" Shifting his left forearm up, Franky revealed four holes in his arm which began releasing a steady stream of exploding projectiles. Luffy jumped away, avoiding the explosions that happened where he'd been standing.

"Gum-Gum Whip!" Twisting around, the pirate sent his right foot out to catch the cyborg in the side. Though the partially-metal man caught the leg, it still had enough momentum to shove him into a pile of lumber. Retracting his leg, Luffy used the man's hold to his advantage to strike with a Gum-Gum Battle Ax.

"Weapons Left!" Just as Luffy struck the cyborg's head, Franky's opened left arm fired a small bazooka that blew up in the pirate's face, rocketing him backwards into the side of a half-finished boat.

"Big Bro!" the girls, Kiwi and Mozu, called.

"Luffy!" the other pirates yelled.

"If you weren't my enemy, I'd say that it's really cool that you're a cyborg," the pirate captain stated, climbing out of the wreckage, his face covered in soot.

"You're pretty strong yourself," Franky complemented. "No one has stood up to a direct hit from my Weapons Left before." The two combatants charged each other with fists raised, only for two ropes to interfere. The ropes, which knotted themselves around the fighters' wrists, were connected to the blond man the Straw Hats had seen running from money lenders the day before. With a flick, the man Iceberg had called Paulie threw both Luffy and Franky into the ground.

"What's the big idea!" the pirate and bounty hunter yelled at the same time. Paulie moved to throw them again, but Coby jumped in, cutting the rope wrapped around his captain so only Franky was thrown.

"Why are you interfering?" Coby demanded in his Hybrid Mode, staring down the five men that had appeared.

The first was Paulie with Kaku on his right. To Paulie's left was a man with curly black hair that fell to his back. This man wore black pants with suspenders and a plain white shirt. A stylized beard sat on his chin and a black top hat rested on his head. On his shoulder was a white pigeon with a tiny, red tie.

Lulu was on the far right, but to the far left was a man that stood head-and-shoulders above the rest. He was shirtless to show off his muscles and his short black hair did not seem to match his full grey beard. He wore only white pants with a belt and his skin was deeply-tanned.

"Coocoo!" the pigeon cooed. "The morons are wrecking our shipyard! We can't let them get away with it! Coo!"

"Is that a talking pigeon?!" Luffy yelled. "That's so cool!"

"RAAA!" the large man shouted. "EVEN IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, WE HAVE TO CATCH YOU STRAW HATS FOR WHAT YOU DID TO ICEBERG!"

"What did we do to Iceberg?" Coby asked.

"I think we're the ones who deserve the explanation here," Paulie growled. "Someone snuck into Iceberg's house last night and shot him five times. This morning, he identified one of the figures as your archeologist Nico Robin."

"Iceberg was shot?" Franky gasped. "That's news to me. I can't believe he survived getting shot five times."

"It wasn't us!" Luffy denied. "We were busy last night taking out the Franky House before returning to our ship."

"Robin went missing yesterday," Coby muttered to himself. "Was it really her? Why?"

"I don't care for your excuses," Paulie growled, shooting a rope that Coby deflected with a swing of a sword. "You attacked my boss. And when you make an enemy of Iceberg, you make an enemy out of Galley-La and all of Water 7."

"Your wanted posters say dead or alive," Kaku said as he threw screwdrivers at the wanted members of the Straw Hat crew. Coby batted away the ones aimed for him while Luffy dove to the side.

"Hold on!" Coby tried to reason. "I'll admit that the shipyard wasn't the best place to fight, but we didn't have a choice when Franky attacked us! And if you knew Robin like we do, you'd know she wouldn't do something like that of her own free will! She's been missing since yesterday!"

"WE DON'T CARE!" the giant man yelled, punching Coby in the chest to catapult him into the wall Kaku had managed to pin Luffy to.

"Luffy!" Nami and Usopp yelled. Unfortunately, that ticked off the crowd who noticed them and quickly restrained them.

"You two are members of their crew, aren't you?" a man in the crowd demanded.

"They are!" a woman answered. "That girl is wearing his hat!"

"Get your hands off her!" Luffy ordered, tearing his shirt off as he pulled away from the wall. He was a second too late as Lulu blasted the wall with a hand cannon. The area around the wanted pirates was engulfed in smoke.

"Luffy!" Nami and Usopp yelled. "Coby!"

"As interesting as this is," Franky laughed, Kiwi and Mozu behind him as he snapped a pipe between his forearms, "I'm the one who challenged Straw Hat. You Galley-La guys are in my way." The pipe began sucking in air and compressing it, causing the cyborg's forearms to expand. "Coup de Vent!"

With a burst of air unlike anything any of the pirates had seen, the air cannon shot all five of the Dock 1 foremen into the remains of the ship-in-progress, destroying what was left. The backlash ricocheted, knocking citizens into the water.

Luffy made use of the distraction, running out of the lingering smoke and making a beeline toward his friends.

"Coby!" he called over his shoulder, the rosette in his Dino Mode tromping along behind him. "Grab Usopp and find a place to warn the others! Nami and I are going to talk to Iceberg!"

"Aye, Captain," the triceratops answered. The two split up. Luffy grabbed his girlfriend around the waist and told her to hold on before rocketing to the roofs of some warehouses. Coby, at the same time, scooped up Usopp and took a left as the angry mob returned to chase them. Even though Coby was faster, the mob continued to grow as more and more people learned of what was happening.

"Turn up here!" Usopp yelled over the crowd. Coby did so, entering a small alley. The sniper jumped off, opened the lid of a dumpster, and ordered the rosette inside. With no time to lose, the rosette jumped in and changed back to human form, Usopp following just as the crowd thundered past the entrance.

"Why did it have to be a dumpster?" Coby questioned unhappily, various foodstuffs in different stages of being eaten sticking to his clothes.

"The least likely place is in plain sight, but no one expects the trash," Usopp nodded sagely. The effect was ruined by the half-eaten cake stuck to his goggles. The Zoan gave the sniper an incredulous look, but did not respond. Instead, he turned away and opened the shell on his left wrist.

BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BU-

CA-LICK

"Hello?" Zoro and Sanji answered from two different snails.

"Guys," Coby greeted. "We've got a problem."

 **End of Chapter 71**

* * *

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 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	72. Robin's Goodbye

**Chapter 72:**

 **Robin's Goodbye**

"You mean to tell us that we are now the main suspects of an attempted assassination?" Gin demanded through the snail on Zoro's wrist. Neither Sanji or Chopper said anything from their end as Coby confirmed that, yes, that was what he'd said.

"Dammit," Zoro cursed over the snail phone.

"And this big storm in coming tonight," Sanji added. "Everyone is blocking their houses and evacuating. Apparently, it's an annual thing."

"Just what we needed," Usopp whined. "More problems."

"I know, righ-? Hey, Chopper! Where're you going?!" Through the snail came the sounds of Sanji running and Chopper falling down a flight of stairs. "Chopper! You ok? ... Chopper?" There was a gasp. "Robin!"

"Robin!" Chopper cried, the snails transmitting his voice mirroring his tears. "I don't know if something I did upset you, but I'm sorry! Please come back!"

"We have to get back to the ship, Robin," Sanji insisted, the running call on his wrist forgotten. There seemed to be no answer, but there was the sound of Sanji catching something.

"I apologize for dropping the blame of such a heavy crime on you all," Robin's voice said through the snail. "While you may be innocent, my part in the papers was true. I'm leaving the crew, so take that den-den back to Luffy and forget about me. We will never see each other again. As a final warning, things are only going to get worse, so you should run while you can. Goodbye."

"Robin!" Sanji and Chopper cried. They received no answer as she walked away.

"Dammit, Chopper," Gin cursed from his side of the snail call. "You jinxed us. Somebody left the crew."

"Everyone," Coby sputtered, trying to hold back his tears. "Should we head back to the Merry?"

"Yes," Zoro grunted in a flat tone with no emotion whatsoever. "As First Mate, I'm ordering everyone to get back to the Going Merry. We'll wait for Luffy there."

"Right!"

* * *

"So that's what happened," Coby finished after telling Grace and Amy about the happenings of the day.

"I know I'd heard stories about her while in Baroque Works," Amy muttered, "but I didn't think they were true."

"Either way," Zoro grunted, "we need to figure out what we're going to do next. Leaving isn't an option since they said Merry couldn't make it to the next island."

"Robin said things are going to get worse," Nami jumped in. "That must mean there's something planned for tonight, and I'd bet my tangerines it's going to have something to do with Iceberg."

"So what, Donna?" Gin questioned. "Are we going to stake out Iceberg's house waiting for Robin and whoever is blackmailing her to show up?"

"Do we know she's being blackmailed?" Usopp asked.

"Ice-Pops said Robin was with a big masked man," Luffy growled, remembering his conversation with the mayor of Water 7 after his fight with Franky in the shipyard. "He must be the one forcing Robin to do all this stuff, so we just have to beat him up and take Robin back."

"I'll take that as a yes to the stake out," Sanji sighed. "I hope you guys don't mind, but I'm going to try something a little different. You can handle it without me, right?"

"Of course we can," Zoro snarked. "We can handle everything without you, Love Cook."

"You wanna say that to my face, Marimo?!"

"I'll say it to your stupid eyebrow!"

"Then let's go, Mosshead!"

* * *

Two figures rocketed over the buildings, the first carrying the second. An extended limb latched onto a branch in a tree in front of Galley-La's HQ, pulling its owner and their green-haired cargo with it. Another two figures followed seconds afterward, this time jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Silent as the wind, the furred thing jumped into the tree and set down its own ginger-haired passenger. There was a soft 'bzzzt' as a fifth form seemed to materialize on another branch, charring the wood. The sixth form arrived using a grabbing tool that latched onto a third limb and the seventh landed weightlessly next to the fifth before passing them a cloth.

The final two arrived only seconds later, much like the second pair. The first of the two kept shifting form, growing taller just before jumping and shrinking into a flip to land on the next roof. Landing on a different branch, Coby and Grace were the last ones to arrive. The nine Straw Hats ducked within the leaves, scattered throughout the tree, as they eyed the building guarded by nearly 200 shipwrights armed with large saws.

"That's a lot of guards," Chopper muttered quietly. No one responded as they all settled down to observe.

Nine o'clock struck with a bang, an explosion on the front left corner of the building incinerating three shipwrights instantly and killing another four with shockwaves and debris. Chopper gasped as he witnessed the destruction through the crew's singular pair of binoculars. As the guards scrambled about to try to put out the fire, two cloaked figures jumped down from one of the walls and made a beeline for the door only to be redirected when half of the shipwrights abandoned the fire to chase them down.

"Do you think one of those two is Robin?" Chopper asked as he eyed the pair of intruders. More shouts drew the pirates' attentions to the roof where another cloaked figure was beating away their opponents with a barbed whip while literally jumping on air.

"Someone who can fly," Zoro observed, "with two other unknowns, one of them possibly Robin. How are we going to play this?"

"I've never met someone else who could fly," Amy stated, fiddling with her umbrella. "I want to fight them." As she said this, the two figures on the ground were cornered against a wall, the shipwrights aiming a plethora of guns at them.

"Gin, you're the only one who can get there in time. Go!" With a nod to his captain, the lightning-man threw his headband away and vanished, reappearing in between the two figures, his tonfa moving even before his limbs had fully materialized.

"What?" a male voice gasped, the weapon hitting him in the head. The guards stared in shock.

"Hello, Robin," Gin grunted.

"What are you doing here?" the woman demanded. She never received an answer as her companion was back on his feet. With a rubber-glove-covered hand, the man punched Gin into the crowd, threw up his cape, and disappeared with Robin in tow.

"Damn!" Gin swore, accidentally shocking a couple of shipwrights. "They got away." Cursing his uselessness, Gin zapped away as quickly as he'd came.

On the other side of the building, the slender figure was still attacking in the open, their whip cutting into shipwrights with every swing. That part of the battle was taking place in one of the courtyards.

"10,000 Kilogram Press!" With a yell, Amy arrived, forcing the figure to dive out of the way.

"Who are you?" the masked person questioned with an ambiguous voice, eyeing Amy as she floated out of the crater to gently set down on the rim.

"I could ask you the same thing," the blonde responded. "I take it you are part of the group that abducted Nico Robin from us?"

"She came to us of her own free will."

Leveling her umbrella at the person while running her power through it to make in as sturdy as a club, Amy spoke. "You and I both know that's bullshit. I'll ask this once. Where is Robin?"

"You pirates are always so stubborn," the figure sighed. "You never know when to give in." The figure jumped twice, once from the ground and once from the air, before striking with their whip. Amy responded quickly, batting aside the barbs and jumping impossibly high to try to stab the woman.

"Devil Fruit," the masked person gasped, jumping away with a cry of "Moonwalk!".

"You're not the only one who can fly!" Amy shouted, a burst from the breath dials in her umbrella pushing her toward her foe. "Get back here!"

* * *

"I'm sorry, Don Luffy," Gin apologized, appearing with a whiff of ozone next to the running group as they headed to Galley-La. "That guy got me with a rubber glove. I'll have to worry about those now. They got away, but one of them was Robin."

"Then we know she's in there," Luffy replied as they reached the gate. "I'm going on ahead! Jump in if you think you need to!" With that, the captain shot his arm forward blindly and grabbed the ledge before letting them retract.

He smashed through a window into Iceberg's office. There were three people in there, two masked figures and Paulie. One of the men wore a bull costume's head while the other had a skull with big yellow eyes and a fez. The foreman was on the ground in a pool of his own blood, but he was breathing shallowly.

"Straw Hat?" the blond shipwright coughed.

"What's going on in here?"

"Straw Hat Luffy," Skull Guy said. "How nice of you to set yourself up to take the blame."

"Hey, Rope Guy," Luffy muttered. "These the bastards who attacked Ice-Pops?"

"Yeah," Paulie grunted, coughing up blood.

"Then let me fight them," Luffy replied, cracking his knuckles.

"We don't have time for this," Bull Man growled. "Just restrain them quickly so we can leave."

"Right." Skull Guy pulled out several half-rings of various sizes and began throwing them at the pirate, said pirate quickly ducking away.

"Tempest Kick!" Skull Guy yelled, snapping his leg out in two kicks that sent a cross wave like Zoro's 36 Caliber Phoenix.

"Gum-Gum Whip!" Luffy retaliated, jumping out of the way.

"Iron Body," Skull Guy whispered just before Luffy's leg struck. It was like his leg met an immovable wall, all his momentum absorbed. Grabbing the shocked pirate's leg, the intruder flipped Luffy over his head to slam him into the floor next to Paulie. While Luffy was trying to catch his breath, Skull Guy took one of his largest half rings and shoved in into the floor so it pinned the pirate's body to the ground. He then repeated the action with both of Luffy's legs, wrists, and neck before doing the same to Paulie. Satisfied with their work, the two agents left.

"Damn it!" Luffy shouted as he began trying to pull his arms out of the restraints. "Come on, rubber body. Work!"

* * *

"We've hit a little snag in the plan. Come to the bedroom at once," the little snail ordered from the masked agent's left hand, their other holding the whip that was wrapped around Amy's umbrella and hands. The blonde growled, narrowing her eyes through the pain of the barbs digging into her flesh. All through their fight, none of the shipwrights had attacked, yet the courtyard was a disaster area covered in slashes and craters.

"This has been fun," the agent chuckled, tucking the snail into one of their pockets, "but I really must be going." The figure rushed forward, a fist aimed for Amy's midsection.

"Dense Defense," Amy countered, increasing the mass of her body as much as she could. The agent's punch connected, but the pirate didn't move an inch.

"Impressive," the masked person complemented before they brought their leg up in a perfect split. "That's almost as good as the Iron Body, but it's not good enough." The figure brought their leg down right between Amy's neck and collar bone. The pirate's mass prevented the ax kick from breaking her bones and killing her, but it still knocked her unconscious. The blonde crumpled with a nasty bruise forming both where she had been kicked and where the punch had landed.

"Tata!" the agent taunted as they jumped away from the stupified shipwrights. Only half of them had the mindset and gull to chase after them. A minute later, just as the remaining 20 or so guards were coming back to their senses, two more people jumped down from the roof.

"Amy!" a tall boy with pink hair called.

"Big Sister!" the redhead with him shouted. She ran to the downed woman's side and tried to shake her awake, but it was futile. "Big Sister, no!"

"Don't worry," the rosette, whom the shipwrights finally identified as an older Tri-Horn Coby, said as he rested a hand on the girl's shoulder. "She's breathing; that means she's alive. We need to go get Chopper."

"What are you pirates doing here?" a shipwright demanded, his saw pointed at the young outlaws.

"Looking for answers," Coby shot back with the same tone. "Someone took our friend. We're getting them back."

"Like we believe that!" another man spat. "You're here to kill Iceberg, aren't you?"

"They aren't going to listen to us," Coby grunted unhappily, his hands resting on the hilts of his swords. Grace stood with the hat Robin had given her so long ago shading her eyes, her back pressed against Coby's as she pulled out her pallet.

"I'll give you one chance," Grace growled in a tone Coby had never heard from her before. There was no laziness or mischievousness in her voice, only a burning desire to find the person that had hurt her sister. "Let us through to the person that did this to my Big Sister, or we'll force our way through."

"Get them!" The guards charged, not slowing even when Coby changed into his Hybrid Mode.

"No choice, then," the rosette sighed. "Five Point Style: Meteor Swords!"

"Colors Trap: Rainbow of Emotion!" Taking off in opposite directions, Coby charged his group of foes head on, catching one man's saw with his horns while his swords caught another two. Coby turned, twisting the tools out of his foes' hands before batting them away with his tail. Four more men ran in with their own saws raised, but Coby saw them coming and shrunk into his Human Mode to roll away, leaving their attacks to hit nothing but the ground. The Zoan user quickly spun, shifting into his Dino Mode to fling the shipwrights away with his tail.

Grace, on the other side, was using her smaller body to weave around her foes, dodging their saws while her paintbrush danced over their bodies in a myriad of colors. The artist left chaos in her wake as her victims did everything from fall to the ground crying, burst into laughter, attack each other, or sit down to peacefully stare at the stars. Seeing as her own group of opponents were now preoccupied, the redhead turned back to Coby's side of the fight. She ran over, jumping on her crewmate's back as paint splattered.

"Combination Attack!" the two called together as the shipwrights wiped red paint out of their eyes. "Color of Extinction!" Quickly, Grace painted a small red symbol on the back of Coby's crown. The dinosaur's eyes seemed to take on an eerie red glow as he locked onto the crimson paint on the remaining shipwrights.

"Sorry about this!" Coby yelled, charging forward. The duo's adversaries tried to dodge out of the way, but Coby turned without conscious thought to stab one of the men in the shoulder with a horn, right were the paint was.

"Son of a bitch!" the shipwright cried, dropping his saw to clutch at his shoulder.

"But that turn shouldn't have been possible!" another shipwright yelled.

"Sorry to disappoint," Coby grunted, "but as long as you've got that paint on you, I can't miss. Don't worry, though. It's not like I'm going to kill any of you."

"M-Monster!"

"Mmm, maybe," Coby agreed. "I'd say I've come a long way from the scared, little runt I was when I met Captain Luffy. But let me tell you, he's a real monster."

"Get on with it," Grace muttered.

"Fine. Ruin my fun why don't you. I was hoping this wouldn't be too serious. Oh well. Cretaceous Charge!"

 **End of Chapter 72**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	73. The Fire of Galley-La

**Chapter 73:**

 **The Fire of Galley-La**

The stake out was a bust. Robin left by the window at 9:58 in a green cloak, vanishing into the air as if she had stepped into a trap door.

Luffy was kicked through a brick wall at 9:59 while screaming something about "that damn leopard bastard", forcing the pirates that hadn't entered the building yet to split into two groups, one to go in and try to save Iceberg, the other to look for their captain.

At 10:00, the fire began to spread across the first level.

At 10:01, the top of the building began to cave. The attackers were gone by then and most of the shipwrights had evacuated outside. Only Coby, Grace, Zoro, and Gin were inside the building. Chopper was in a side courtyard, treating Amy's wounds, while Nami and Usopp went looking for Luffy.

"Damn it," Coby swore, jumping away from flaming wreckage for the umpteenth time. In front of him, his teacher and Gin hacked open a locked door.

"Come on, Shrimp, Shrimpette!" Zoro called behind him as Gin pressed forward, walking through the fire without a care since his lightning body couldn't get burned.

"We're coming!" Coby yelled back, the heat making him irritated like it did back when they were raiding Gasparde's ship during the Dead End Race. The group of four climbed a somewhat-broken staircase to reach the second floor. They were greeted with the scene of a bloody hallway full of dead shipwrights. Whatever or whoever had come through had been a monster. Smoke curled up from patches in the rug, showing that the fire would soon reach the second floor if it hadn't already.

"This is awful," Coby gasped, trying not to look at the corpses that would be burned away with the building. "Who could do such a thing?"

Gin said nothing as he tried to ignore the Zoan, just barely keeping the images of the devastation he had caused long ago at bay; his past was behind him. He was different now. The group trudged forward, carefully stepping over the bodies as the fire burned the staircase behind them. Reaching the locked door at the end and hearing muttering on the other side, Zoro cut through the door.

"What the Hell is it now?!" Paulie demanded, him and Iceberg tied back-to-back in the center of the boss's burning bedroom. Both were covered in their own blood and Iceberg had a bullet hole through his right shoulder. "Straw Hats?"

"This guy's still alive!" Coby grunted, shifting into his Hybrid Mode to carry an unconscious man with a grey beard. He had been lying by the door, a smashed hammer next to him.

"We'll grab these two," Gin commented, picking up Iceberg as Zoro got a hold of Paulie. "Grace, could you please clear us a path? No point trying to minimize damage now." With a nod, Grace made her way to the windows.

"Colors Trap: Acid." Much to the shipwrights' shock, the girl's black paint began eating away at the brick and glass, the window falling out in four square pieces. Taking that as their cue, the pirates jumped out of the building.

"The pirates have Iceberg!" several guards yelled as Gin hit the ground, him being followed by Zoro and Coby with Grace on his shoulder.

"They've got Paulie and Tilestone, too!"

"Don't attack," Iceberg coughed, Gin setting him on the ground gently. Grace took off toward where Chopper should be with her sister. "Pirate Hunter. Man-Demon. There's something you need to know."

"It can wait until our doctor had treated you," Gin grunted.

"No, it can't," Iceberg denied. "Nico Robin told me why she abandoned you."

"What?" Zoro gasped. "Tell us. Now."

"CP9 confronted her shortly after you landed here," Iceberg began. "They gave her two conditions for her to follow: that she turn herself in and leave your crew, and that she follow their orders without question. In return, they would fulfill her wish."

"Go on," Gin urged as Chopper and Grace returned with an unconscious Amy. The shipwrights that weren't watching in confusion had deemed the story unimportant to them and returned to trying to put out the fire.

"She accepted, and the government agents ordered her to help try to assassinate me and pin the blame on you. That happened last night."

"But what was her wish?" Coby pressed.

"Her condition was that the other ten of you could leave this island safely. You see, Admiral Aokiji has given CP9 the authority to call a Buster Call on the Straw Hat Pirates, summoning five Vice-Admirals and ten battleships to wipe you out the same way they did her home island of Ohara 20 years ago. In return for your safety, she agreed to turn herself in and even go so far as to sacrifice the rest of the world."

"So Robin isn't an enemy after all," Zoro smiled.

"This is great news!" Coby cheered. "We just have to kick their asses and take her back!"

"Easier said than done," Gin commented as Chopper began patching up Iceberg who was rather surprised to speak to a talking reindeer. "I mean, look at how well this turned out." He gestured over his shoulder as part of the building crumbled.

"Captain Luffy went in alone, though," the rosette argued. "I doubt they can take us all on."

"You better hurry," Iceberg told the pirates. "I think they'll be leaving on the last sea train which leaves at 11:00 if I remember right. After that, Aqua Laguna will make it impossible for any ships to sail and she'll be gone by the time you get there." Behind him, the building began to collapse, taking with it all the dead and dying inside to a firey grave.

"I can carry Amy until she wakes up," Chopper offered as he finished bandaging the head of Galley-La. "We need to hurry."

"Then let's get going," Zoro ordered as the blonde was placed on the reindeer's back. "We'll call the others on our way." He took off.

"Zoro-sensei! The gate is the other way!"

"What? The damn thing must have moved."

"No, you're just directionless," Gin grumbled, facepalming as the swordsman turned in the middle of the open lawn. "This may take a while."

"Do you think we should call the others?" Chopper asked.

"No," Gin stated, shaking his head. "Sanji said he wanted to stake out the train station. We can't risk calling since that could give away his position."

"Come on," some of the shipwrights insisted at Iceberg's command. "We'll take you there. We have to pay you back somehow."

"Thank you," Coby responded. "Let's go get Robin back."

* * *

"Luffy!" Nami yelled, the sniper by her side calling out in another direction. "Luffy! Awe, damn it. This would be so much easier if we had Amy to help us."

"That's it!" Usopp exclaimed. "We need to get to higher ground to look for Luffy!"

"But how are we going to do that?" Nami countered. "With the wind from the storm coming in, being on the rooftops would be dangerous!"

"I've got something for this," Usopp boasted as he pulled a belt from his satchel. "I didn't need to use it in Skypia, but that just gave me time to work out all the tweaks!"

"Just do it already!"

"Usopp AaaaAAaah!" The sniper shot a grappling hook from his belt which wrapped around a chimney and pulled him up. Grabbing the bricks as he reached the top, Usopp sucked in a breath and called out for his captain as loud as he could through the howling wind. "LUFFY!"

"…Usopp!" The wind carried the teen's voice, but he was close.

"WHERE ARE YOU?!" Usopp shouted.

"…Between two buildings! I'm stuck!" Nami bolted in the direction she believed the voice to be coming from, but she couldn't see her lover between the two buildings close enough for someone to be stuck in between, said constructs apartment buildings most likely.

"Nami! Up here!" Blinking at the voice, the navigator looked up to find her boyfriend wedged between the brick walls near the top of the two buildings.

"Now how are we supposed to get him down?" Usopp asked as he arrived, his grappling hook locking into place in his belt.

"I don't know!" Nami replied. "You're the inventor!"

"I'm gonna kick that leopard bastard's ass!" Luffy grumbled above them, trying the wiggle free with little success.

"Is there any way you could use that hook thing the pull Luffy down?" Nami questioned.

"You mean my Usopp AaaaAAaah? I guess, but the hook is almost as wide as this gap."

"Try it," Nami ordered the sniper. "We're running out of time."

"Alright," Usopp sighed, placing his pride as a marksman on the line. "Are you ready, Luffy?"

"Hurry!" the rubber-man responded. "This is really uncomfortable!"

"Usopp AaaaAAaah!" With the press of a button, Usopp fired his grappling hook which, despite some bouncing off the walls, wrapped around Luffy vertically. With Luffy's face now squished into his own legs, Usopp planted his feet on the buildings and began retracting the rope, slowly pulling the rubber-man out.

"Ow. Ow. Ow. Usopp, that hurts!"

"Almost there," Usopp muttered, though the growing wind ripped the words out of the air. With a final pop, the two teens tumbled to the sidewalk in a tangle of limbs.

"So where to now?" Luffy asked, standing.

"I'm not sure," Nami answered. "We came looking for you right after you got thrown out of Galley-La and I don't want to risk calling since Sanji decided to do that whole Secret Agent Man stunt."

"I'll see if I can spot anybody," the captain nodded, pulling himself up to the rooftops just as Usopp untangled himself from his own wire.

* * *

"Shitty bastards treating a woman like that," Sanji grumbled, glancing around the column he was hiding behind. Blue Station, the sea train station for Water 7, was swarming with government men wearing either regular government attire or business suits. The cook had identified Robin as the lone female among them. "Why isn't she fighting back?"

"CP9 is here!" a man announced, his voice forcing Sanji deeper into the shadows. A group of four sauntered into the station, the tallest carrying a squirming and tied-up Franky. Even though Sanji didn't recognize them, it was Lucci, Khalifa, Kaku, and a man named Blueno.

Blueno, the man carrying Franky, stood at eight feet with black hair stylized into bull horns and a mustache/beard. His body rippled with muscle since he was able to easily handle the cyborg in his grip. A small welt protruded from his hair where Gin had caught him by surprise back at Galley-La.

"-and I can't believe you did that to the Straw Hats' ship!" Franky shouted, his voice just now reaching the chef. "That thing's alive, you know! There's no way I could forgive you for what you did to that klabautermann!"

"Shut up!" Khalifa ordered, punching the prisoner in the head. "You're the one that took it as a bargaining chip."

"Even if she was alive," Kaku added, as if trying to justify their actions, "her life was over. She wouldn't have made it far." Lucci said nothing as Corgi, the man who had met with Iceberg two days prior, gave both him and his pigeon coats to drape over their shoulders.

"What?" Sanji questioned quietly, confused by their conversation. Who were they abducting? What did he or they do to the Going Merry? And what was that about their ship being alive?

"I want to leave," Lucci stated. "Now."

"Oh, uh, right away!" Corgi saluted. "You heard him, men! Get your asses in gear!"

"Your attention please," the speaker system announced. "The train from Water 7 to Enies Lobby will be leaving shortly. Please board the train quickly. The train will be leaving at 10:15. Thank you."

Sanji waited for as long as he could, hoping that the others would catch up, but the time came and the sea train began moving. With a sigh, the chef decided that he couldn't wait any longer and walked forward. Ignoring the conductors that told him to stay back, Sanji jumped onto the caboose of the train, kicking one of the men for good measure.

"Don't worry, Robin," Sanji muttered, lighting a cigarette as it began to rain. "Your Prince Charming is coming to save you." After a deep breath, Sanji turned and let himself in.

All sound and movement stopped on the train as the blond pirate closed the door, all eyes turning on him. Sanji was undaunted, smoking calmly as he sauntered through the government officials.

"Who the Hell are you?" one man demanded, his sword stopping the chef as it was placed at his neck. "What are you doing on this train?"

"Oh, pardon me," Sanji responded, breathing smoke into the man's face. "I'm looking for someone. Can you tell me where Nico Robin is?"

 **End of Chapter 73**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	74. Battle on the Train

**Chapter 74:**

 **Battle on the Train**

"Dammit," Nami cried, glaring at the spot in the distance that was the Puffing Tom. "We missed them. How are we supposed to get Robin back now?"

"We'll figure something out," Luffy stated, pulling her close. Usopp stood by, equal parts sad, angry, and awkward due being the third wheel. Two conductors watched them from the shadows, trying to come up with their own interpretation of the event.

("Who do you think that Robin is?"

"Could it be that that guy has two girlfriends? And that Robin is the other one?"

"No way! She's probably with that long-nosed guy!"

"Impossible! He looks more awkward than distraught!")

"We're too late, aren't we, Don Luffy?" The three pirates sadly glanced backwards at the voice, finding the rest of their crew (minus Sanji) at the bottom of the steps with Granny Kokoro, Chimney and her pet, and several Galley-La shipwrights including Paulie, Lulu, and Tilestone. Gin was once again wearing his headband since the rain that had begun was messing with his powers, making him an electrical hazard for his friends. Amy had woken up, but Chopper had still insisted on carrying her while she recovered.

"Captain Luffy?" Coby questioned, getting the teen's attention. "We found out why Robin did what she did."

"Why?" Usopp asked.

"She was trying to protect us," Zoro stated. "She turned herself in so that we could all leave safely. She didn't know about the Merry being at the end of her life."

"We _will_ get her back," Luffy growled. "I don't care who gets in our way."

"Now hold on, Straw Hat," Paulie ordered. "You can't go out in a storm like this. If we gave you our best ship, you _might_ have been able to survive a normal Aqua Laguna, but this is the worst storm Water 7 has ever seen."

"We have the world's best navigator on our crew," Luffy boasted. "We'd survive this storm in anything. But that doesn't matter. If you're not going to give us a ship, then we'll take one by force."

"Nagagagaga!" Granny Kokoro laughed at the declaration, breaking the tension that had formed between the pirates and the shipwrights. Taking a swig from the bottle at alcohol in her hand, she hiccupped and said, "Now, now, kid. Paulie's right on this one. Going out there in a ship is suicide. You'd need a sea train build by a legend. Luckily, I have one."

"You have another sea train?" all the adults gasped simultaneously.

"Yeah. *hic* Yeah, I do. Follow me." The woman turned and trudged up the stairs. Confused and excited for various reasons, the rest of the crowd followed her. She lead the way to a hidden workshop, only to find that someone had beaten them there. Out of an old train came Iceberg, covered in sweat and grease.

"Well, it looks like I was right," he commented, dropping onto a bench as the pirates looked over the train. Unlike the Puffing Tom, this train was rather crudely built with a pointed nose and shark teeth. It only had one compartment attached to the train itself. "I've put her in the best shape I could with the time, but there's still no guarantee that you'll survive the ride."

"This is Rocketman," Kokoro introduced. "She's a runaway train."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Coby asked.

"Rocketman was the failed prototype of the Puffing Tom," Iceberg explained. "There's no way to control her speed."

"Then it's a good thing we don't care for subtlety," Amy smiled.

"Everyone get on the train!" Luffy ordered. "We're getting Robin back!"

"Now wait a minute!" Paulie tried. "This is your last chance to turn back! Do you even know what island they're taking Nico Robin to? Enies Lobby!"

"I don't give a shit," Luffy spat. "They could take her to Raftel and I would chase them down. No one messes with my Nakama."

"You'd be all but declaring war on the World Government!" Lulu cried.

"After what the government pulled here, I think it's deserved," Gin put in.

"Our crew does the impossible every week," Gin chuckled. "We killed God last month. Declaring war on the world is almost disappointing after that."

"You did what?!" Paulie yelled while Amy laughed at his reaction. "And you two!" He pointed at Nami and Amy. "Put some pants on!"

"We're wasting time," Zoro snapped. "Every second we wait, Robin gets a little bit further away."

"Straw Hat!" Out of the stairs fell Zanbai and the rest of the Franky Family, all of them bandaged from the beating the Straw Hats had put them through. "Take us with you, Straw Hat! They have Big Bro Franky! Please, let us come with you to try to save him! We're begging you!"

"Ok," Luffy shrugged. "Get on."

"What?!" the shipwrights yelled. "Are you crazy?!"

"...Maybe a little?" Grace answered.

"But, Straw Hat, we-" Zanbai stopped cold. "Wait. Did you say yes?"

"Yeah," the pirate tilted his head. "We both need to save someone precious to us. Why not to it together? Get on."

"We don't actually need the train," Zanbai waved off. "We'll follow you with our King Bulls when you depart. Thanks, Straw Hat!" The Franky Family turned and left quickly, presumably to get the "King Bulls" Zanbai had mentioned.

"Alright." With another shrug, Luffy boarded Rocketman and the rest of his crew followed. Kokoro climbed into the conductor's seat and, with Coby and Gin shoveling coal, began the departure.

"Hurry up!" Luffy shouted impatiently. "To this Lobby place to rescue Robin!"

* * *

"Did you have to shoot that bar into the train?" Amy demanded, indicating the connection shot that the Franky Family had lodged in the back of the train, her question receiving shrugs from Zanbai and the Square Sisters. Rocketman was proving its name as it thundered down the tracks while pulling along the Franky Family's portable home and King Bulls, Sodom and Gomorrah. The pirates, Kokoro, Chimney and Gonbi (who had snuck on), and Paulie, Lulu, and Tilestone were in the compartment discussing their plans. "And why are you guys here?" she added.

"RAAGH!" Tilestone yelled. "WE WANTED TO COME ALONG BECAUSE THOSE GOVERNMENT GUYS TRIED TO KILL ICEBERG! RAAGH!"

"Keep your voice down, Tilestone!" Paulie shouted.

"We still aren't sure exactly who they are," Lulu muttered, flattening some stray hairs on the right side of his head only for some to pop up from his moustache, "but we have a pretty good idea who it is."

"I… You guys you guys deserve the truth," Paulie sighed. "I don't want to shock you, though."

"JUST TELL US!" Tilestone roared.

"It was Lucci, Khalifa, Kaku, and Blueno from the bar."

"WHAT?!" the other two shipwrights gasped.

"You mean you didn't know that?!" Paulie demanded.

"You said they went home! We thought it was Bill and Ted from the backstreets!"

"You believed that?!"

"It doesn't matter," Luffy stated, interrupting their conversation. "I know that we fought both the Franky Family and Galley-La back in Water 7, but now we're allies with a common goal. We fight together." Luffy stuck his right arm out, palm down.

"Right," Zanbai agreed, quickly placing his one arm over Luffy's. "I'd risk my life for Franky; I'll do anything to get him back."

"Galley-La stands with you, Straw Hat," Paulie nodded, putting his own hand in. "Those government dogs are going to pay for attacking Iceberg."

"Alright," Luffy smiled, dropping his arm. "Chopper, make sure everyone's good to go. We have a long day ahead of us."

BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... CA-LICK

"Hello?" Nami greeted, opening the shell on her wrist.

"Hey," Sanji replied through the snail, the invertebrate somehow breathing smoke. "I'm on the sea train."

"You're what?" Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp sputtered.

"Yeah, I've got this Franky guy, too. He's a little ruffed up, though."

"Big Bro Franky!" Zanbai cried, grabbing Nami's wrist to talk through the snail. Luffy glared at him for the action.

"Zanbai!" Franky answered.

"Sanji, we found out why Robin left," Nami stated, becoming serious and yanking her arm from Zanbai. "She's trying to sacrifice herself so we can get away." Sanji was silent for a minute, the sound of Franky crying about something being the only sound.

"Captain?" Sanji asked.

"Go ahead," Luffy answered. "We can't stop you."

"Oi, Love Cook!" Zoro jumped in before they could hang up. "Don't get yourself killed. I don't want to have to eat crappy food while we try to find a new cook."

"Whatever you say, Marimo." The snail went to sleep, severing the call.

* * *

"Hey, Bro!" Franky yelled, the rain and wind doing nothing to ruin his ice-blue hair. "I wanted to talk to Straw Hat!"

"Too bad," Sanji answered, glaring at the cyborg through the rain. "I still haven't forgiven you for what you did to Usopp."

"That was my boys, not me," Franky responded before gaining a sheepish look. "Oh, that reminds me. All that money you all had on your ship is back at my place. I kind of took your ship to try to lure out Straw Hat and decided to take your money while I was at it."

"And that reminds me, asshole," Sanji growled. "You mentioned the Merry when those government bastards had you. What was that about?"

"You don't know?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking you."

"Fine, fine," Franky surrendered, holding up his arms. "Geeze. Tell me, have you ever heard of a klabautermann?"

"A what?" Sanji questioned.

"They're also known as Wood Fairies," the cyborg explained. "They only-"

"Ah! They're up here!" The government had found them.

"Mutton Shot!" Before the man could warn his companions, Sanji's leg shot forward, kicking the marine off the train. "Shit. We'll have to continue this another time."

"Uh, sure," Franky sighed. "Let's go." With a nod from Sanji, the two took off toward the back of the train. "So what's the plan, Cook-Bro?"

"Just play along," the blond ordered as the two dropped onto the end of the caboose. Sanji knocked on the door.

"Hello~!" Sanji called, waving at the man who opened the door before the cook slammed it shut. Franky quickly nailed boards to it to keep the door shut. The two climbed the latter back up as gunshots began and a perfectly-square cut separated the door from the rest of the train. With a smile, Sanji locked the door two cars down and separated them from the rest of the train. The others would handle them.

"That was cars 6 and 7," Franky commented. "Only five more to go."

"Then let's get started." The chef opened the door, the sound of several guns clicking filling the air. His one visible eye widening, Sanji dove to the side as the government agents let loose. Franky, however, did not, the bullets hitting him with the sound of metal striking metal. Despite being shot at, Franky grabbed the seat on his right, tore it up from the floor, and threw it at their opponents. The stop in the firing was all the time Sanji needed to rush in and finish off the remaining agents in the car.

"What are you?" the pirate asked, turning to his new ally.

"I forgot to mention that, didn't I?" Franky chuckled. "I'm a cyborg."

"Huh," Sanji grunted. "Just when you thought you'd seen it all." With a shrug, the two men exited the car and separated it as well. With car five gone, that only left four others.

No problem, right?

* * *

Rocketman sped forward for about ten minutes, giving the Straw Hats and their allies plenty of time to prepare for battle. Paulie was not ok with the women's chosen battle attire, even if Nami was the only one to change clothing into a short, brown dress (while using Luffy and his stretchyness as a divider), but Lulu, Tilestone, and Zanbai were very ok with it, and that earned each of them a punch from Luffy for looking at the navigator.

"Captain Luffy!" Coby called from the window where he was on watch. "There's a stationary train car or two ahead with a Marine Captain standing on the tracks. He's got a sword."

"I'll handle it," Zoro yawned, stretching before climbing out the window. Coby followed to watch.

"Halt!" the marine ordered, his ripped cape fluttering in the wind. He was a tall, gaunt man with grey skin, making him hard to see in the cloudy night. A centurion's helmet sat on his head with blue adornments fluttering in the howling wind, but the man never wavered from his straight posture. "I am Marine Captain Teebone! I hate crooked men like you and crooked swordplay! Right Angle Slash!"

"Three Sword Style: 108 Caliber Phoenix!" Zoro's flying slash cut through the marine's perfectly-vertical one as well as his sword while going over the marine's head to cut both cars perfectly in half.

"My men!" Teebone cried worriedly. "I will save you!" He dove into the water, out of the way of the runaway sea train.

"Bye!" Luffy and Usopp waved from the windows.

"Sorry about that!" Coby apologized. "I hope your men are ok!"

"Damn you, you crooked pirates!"

* * *

Wonzai the cook of CP5 landed in a crumpled heap in the middle of car 3 where CP9 had been sitting in silence. The eyes of the agents turned to the smoking blond that had kicked the man as he stepped out of the kitchen car and onto the third. A second later, Nero, CP9's newest recruit, was smashed through the ceiling of the third car with Franky on top and his metal fist in the Sea Weasel's face.

"That was one Hell of an entrance," Sanji commented as the cyborg stood. "What have you been up to?"

"Ow! You know, kicking ass like usual," Franky responded, kicking his defeated opponent so he came to rest by the fallen cook. "You?"

"Kicking ass," Sanji replied nonchalantly.

"I recognize this moron, somewhat," Lucci spat, kicking Wonzai onto his back. Despite the changes to his face that Sanji's kicks had done, he was still somewhat the same and his hair hadn't been affected. "Who is this moron, though?"

"That is Nero, the Sea Weasel," Khalifa provided, unnecessarily adjusting her glasses. "He is supposed to be CP9's newest recruit. He has gone through training and has mastered four of the six powers."

"You won't get away with this," the wounded rookie coughed, blood soaking into the train's rug beneath him as he turned to glare at Franky. "I'll teach you what happens when you cross me!"

"...Khalifa."

"Yes, Lucci?"

"On the official report, say that the new recruit was too weak and that he was killed in battle with the Straw Hat Pirates."

"Yes, sir," the woman responded, making a note on a clipboard.

"And you," Lucci directed his attention on the man trying to get up. "You are a disappointment. I'll give you three seconds to run for your life."

"What?" Nero questioned. "Who am I running from?"

"One," Lucci began. "Two."

"Shave!" Nero cried, running as a blur toward Sanji and Franky.

"Three. Finger Pistol." In a flash, Lucci had caught up to the weasel-like man and stabbed him in the back with his finger. Nero coughed more blood as he died.

Lucci had stabbed his finger into the man's heart.

With an unmerciful grunt, the agent ripped his finger out of the man's body and chucked it out the window. With blood dripping down his hand, the former shipwright turned to the intruders.

"Unfortunately, we have been ordered to not kill you. That was part of our agreement with Nico Robin. Cutty Flam, however, will still be coming with us. If you know what's good for you, pirate, you'll turn around right now and leave."

"Sorry," Sanji growled, "but I can't do that. There's a beautiful member of our crew waiting for me in the car in front of you."

"Kaku," Lucci ordered.

"Shave," the long-nosed man muttered, blurring out of sight. "Finger Pistol." Sanji didn't have any time to react as the agent's pointer finger buried itself in his side, missing all the vitals.

"Sorry about this," Kaku apologized. "Nothing personal. Just business." With a flick of his wrist, the ginger threw the chef out the same window Nero's body had smashed.

"Eyebrows!" Franky yelled. "You bastards!" The cyborg charged the agents, but it was no use. Just like when they'd captured him the first time, Khalifa wrapped him up in her spiked whip within a matter of seconds.

"Blueno, put him in the first car with Nico Robin," Lucci ordered. The bull-like man nodded and grabbed the struggling cyborg before exiting the car.

Next stop: Enies Lobby and the Gates of Justice.

 **End of Chapter 74**

* * *

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 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	75. Assault on Enies Lobby

**Chapter 75:**

 **Assault on Enies Lobby**

Sanji sighed sadly, rage toward both himself and CP9 swirling around inside him. The others had fished him out of the ocean half an hour ago and Chopper had bandaged his finger-shaped stab wound. While he was telling them about the powers that CP9 had used and what he believed they had, Amy suggested that their jumping-on-air trick was one as well. They had used Shave and Finger Pistol against him, so including Moonwalk brought their count up to three. That left three unknown powers that all of their opponents possessed, one of them possibly the 'Iron Body' that Kalifa mentioned while fighting Amy back at Galley-La.

Yokuzuna the frog had joined them as well, something about trying to help Franky by Chopper and Kokoro's translation. He rested comfortably on the coal cart.

The pirates and their allies continued their journey until Enies Lobby, also known as the Daytime Island, came into view. An island where the sun always shined, it looked like it was noon on the Marine base when it was nearing 12:30 AM in actuality. Paulie tried drawing a diagram from memory, having been there once before, indicating the waterfall, the Tower of Law, and the Gates of Justice which could be seen looming over the island from far away.

"This is what I suggest," Paulie stated, tapping the map he'd made. "From what I can tell, you Straw Hats are the only ones who have a chance against CP9, but there are probably two-to-three thousand other marines on the island. Wait five minutes while the Franky Family and Galley-La force our way through the main gate, then you can follow us through."

"No way," Luffy denied with a shake of his head. "I'm not waiting that long. We're all going to go in together."

"But-" Zanbai tried to protest.

"It's no use," Coby told him. "This is Captain Luffy's way of doing things."

"Fine," Zanbai relented. "At least let the Franky Family lead with Sodom and Gomorrah. We'll bust through as far as we can, then you can take over."

"Alright," Luffy agreed. Zanbai, Kiwi, and Mozu exited the car to inform their family of the plan and detach the King Bulls from the train. Rocketman lurched forward as the weight of the Franky Family fell away from it and the bulls jumped the fence surrounding the island. The assault began.

"Guys," Luffy stated seriously, attracting the attention of his crew though he did not face them. "This'll be our biggest fight yet, so I'm lifting the ban."

"What ban?" Lulu asked, the other two shipwrights with them nodding with curiosity.

"The killing ban," Gin chuckled darkly, a little of his insanity seeping out in preparation for an apparently-unrestricted rampage.

"Oi," Luffy swatted the back of the lightning-man's head. "Just because I'm lifting the ban for now doesn't mean you can aim to kill. I just don't want any of you to die because you were holding back."

"Understood," the crew nodded, various emotions scattered across the car. Those that had killed before (Gin, Zoro, Coby, and Amy) mirrored their captain's seriousness while everyone else looked a little green at the thought of taking a life if they had to.

"Rocketman's going off the rails!" Kokoro announced through the train's PA system, the train jerking to the right. Miraculously, it stayed afloat. The train pulled a big loop, Luffy helping himself to a view of the island from the nose of the machine. The Franky Family were causing havoc at what remained of the front entrance, Sodom and Gomorrah having smashed some of the gate itself. While this happened, Nami readied her Perfect Clima-Tact (having had Usopp upgrade it with dials from Skypia) and Usopp pulled out a new slingshot. This one, which he called Kabuto, was the same height as him and green with five bands connected to a single pouch in the middle.

Kokoro blew the whistle on the train, alerting the ship dismantlers that they were on the way. With even more panic than there had been, the Franky Family dove to either side as Rocketman burst through the regular gate surrounding the island and thundered over the concrete.

"Woo hoo!" Luffy cheered as the Rocketman smashed through the first concrete gate, blowing its doors to kindling and gravel and moving on. It screeched over the dirt bridge to the main island as the wheels tried in vain to keep up with the train's speed before coming to an abrupt halt as it hit the next obstacle. The second gate opened just enough for a normal-sized person to slip through, the sliver hidden by the smoke Rocketman's crushed engine was spitting out. The pirates and Galley-La stumbled out of the broken machine, coughing the smoke out of their lungs.

"That was a terrible idea," Coby coughed, glad that he hadn't eaten for a while.

"What are you talking about?" Luffy laughed, jumping down from the crushed nose with all his enthusiasm returned. "That was great!"

"No it wasn't!" everyone else yelled. A tremor swept through the ground as two giants jumped over the second gate.

"Look at this, Kashi," the wider of the two growled, hefting his studded club. "Some maggots have interrupted our sleep."

"Yes they have, Oimo," the other responded, tapping his giant sword on his shoulder. "Let's deal with them quickly."

"Huh," Zoro grunted. "Who knew they had giants?"

"Let's see what we can do against them," Gin smiled, pulling his headband off and pointing his tonfa as the slimmer of the giants. Yellow electricity danced between the two gold-plated spheres at the ends of his weapons, slowly building in intensity.

"Lightning Shot!" As if firing a cannon, Gin blasted the power forward faster than the speed of sound. The electricity met its mark, the giant, Kashi, crying out in pain. His size, however, prevented him from going down with only one shot.

"You worms!" Oimo yelled, bringing his club down on the group who scattered. They could hear the Franky Family approaching with their King Bulls from behind them, so reinforcements were on the way.

"Three Sword Style," Zoro began, placing Wado Ichimonji in his mouth. "108 Caliber Phoenix!" The flying slashes cut three gashes into Oimo's shoulder which would slow him down and scar, but not take him out of the fight. The giant kicked forward, Coby moving forward to intercept in his Hybrid Mode. The giant foot's momentum was too much, however, throwing the rosette back the down the bridge where he rolled over the edge.

"Coby!" the crew gasped, Luffy and Grace taking off to try to save the young swordsman while the others turned back to the fight. The captain and painter reached the edge and looked down before releasing simultaneous sighs of relief. Coby had managed to stab his swords into the side of the bridge and was hanging on for dear life.

"Don't worry about me!" Coby shouted. "I'll be fine!" Luffy nodded, trusting his third-ever crewmate to survive. Even though he took off back toward the giants, Grace stayed to make sure the Zoan was ok; her emotion paints wouldn't do any good against giants anyway. Narrowing his eyes in concentration, Coby began climbing his way back up, stabbing the cliff like back in Drum. Meanwhile...

"10,000 Kilogram Press!" Being the sadistic woman she was, Amy aimed for Oimo's wounded shoulder, forcing a cry of pain out of the giant's mouth. He lost his grip on his club as his hand reached up to swat the blonde like a fly.

"Wolf Fang!" Sanji yelled, his leg slamming into the back of the giant's knee, staggering the warrior of Elbaf. At the same time, Amy grabbed Oimo's hair and increased her mass again, bending him backwards. With a toss from Zoro, an unwilling Usopp was flung over the giant's face.

"Special Attack!" the sniper squeaked, terrified by the glare he received, "Triple Gunpowder Star!" The three explosions happened on Oimo's face, nearly blinding the giant with the light. The force only increased the speed at which his head met the ground, added to by both gravity and Amy's extra weight.

"Gum-Gum Bazooka!" Luffy swept in, hitting the downed giant in the face as hard as he could. The attack broke his nose and rendered the huge warrior unconscious. Beside them, the shipwrights, Franky Family, and Gin had tied up the other giant and shocked him into unconsciousness. Taking only a second to celebrate their victory, the Franky Family surged forward to push one side of the gate open all the way.

"We missed it," Coby whined, him and Grace catching up to the group as they moved to take the opening into the island proper.

"Don't worry, Shrimp," Zoro smirked, sheathing his swords. "I have a feeling there will be plenty of people to fight. Get ready."

"Dino Mode," the rosette muttered, pawing the ground. "Let's see them stand up to a charging triceratops."

"Was that smugness I heard?" Nami teased, causing the dinosaur to blush. "Look at you, Coby, talking big."

"I… Ah… I mean…" Coby stuttered, realizing how brazen his statement had been. Lucky for him, the captain didn't think that was the best time for conversation.

"Let's get Robin back!" The group of exactly 72 humans and 3 animals (relatively) charged through the door with a battle cry.

* * *

"Nico Robin," Spandam greeted with a leer as she and a chained Franky were ushered into his office. Spandam was a shady man with greasy, purple hair that fell to his shoulders and a face plate that covered parts of the right side of his face. He was dressed in a suit with a fresh coffee stain on his left side. "How nice of you to finally turn yourself in."

Robin said nothing, prompting the man to look for response elsewhere.

"And, of course, we can't forget Cutty Flam, here. Oh, it's such a shame that people won't just give the government what we want without fighting. If they did, then that old moron Tom wouldn't have had to die all those years ago. Isn't that right, Flam?"

"You bastard!" Franky yelled, biting down on the man's head. CP9 did nothing as they watched their boss getting chewed on by the prisoner.

CP9 was now complete, all seven of its members returned to Enies Lobby at the same time. Of the three newcomers was a man with black hair pulled into a long ponytail. He was on the shorter side and had a jagged scar running over his left eye. A thin mustache framed his mouth with a pointed beard. This was Jabra.

To Jabra's left was a thing that was shaped like an oversized ball. With green-tinted skin, green hair, and a zipper for a mouth, no one was really sure what Fukurou was. He was also dressed in a suit.

On Jabra's right was Kumadori. The tallest member of CP9 had skin so white it had to be painted. His hair was light pink in color and he carried a sage staff with him. He was dressed like all the rest of the agents in all black save for his tie which was green.

"Help me!" Spandam ordered, trying in vain to pry Franky's mouth open and off his head.

"Yoi, yoi!" Kumadori yelled. "I shall assist you!" With a dramatic swing of his staff, Kumadori swatted his boss out of the prisoner's mouth by batting Spandam in the side. The man was thrown across the room and over his desk where he landed with a crash. "No need to thank me!"

"I wasn't going to," Spandam muttered unhappily. "Anyway-"

BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... CA-LICK!

"This is Spandam speaking," the unhappy commander answered, picking up the receiver from the den-den sitting on his desk.

"Commander Spandam!" a marine on the other side cried. "The Straw Hat Pirates are attacking Enies Lobby!" Robin's eyes widened, tears coming unbiden as a small gasp made its way out of her mouth.

"They're just one pirate group," Spandam waved off. "How much trouble can they cause against the 10,000 marines here in Enies Lobby?"

"Well, sir," the marine stuttered. "They've already broken the first two gates and have beaten the giants."

"What?!"

"I'd estimate our main force losses at about twelve-hundred."

"That's ridiculous," Spandam denied. "Intel says there's only ten of them. No pirate group that size could have that much energy after fighting so far."

"I'll reevaluate that. We're up to fifteen-" The grunt of pain went unheard by the commander who laughed.

"Wahahaha! Only 15? I don't know how you miscalculated that much, but, like I said, they aren't a threat." He hung up as a low-ranking marine brought him a fresh cup of coffee. He nodded to them and took a sip, only for the drink to burn his tongue. The man flailed for a second, hitting his desk and causing the receiver on the snail to fall off. "I burned myself on my coffee again, dammit!"

"You sure are a piece of work," Franky muttered, earning him a punch from Khalifa.

 _'_ _Luffy,'_ Robin thought angrily. _'What are you doing?'_

* * *

Laughing manically, Gin threw another ball of condensed lightning into the black raincloud following the King Bulls as they rampaged through the main area of Enies Lobby. The improvised Thunder Ball connected with the cloud, causing it to spark for only a second before it released a plethora of lightning bolts on the damp marines and government employees caught underneath it.

"Nice shot, Gin!" Usopp complemented, pulling back the pouch of his Kabuto and releasing six Lead Stars, each of them curving a different direction to strike a different target. Every one connected.

"Gum-Gum Whip!" Luffy bellowed, his leg stretching out to skim the ground, each man in its path either tripping or getting launched away. Those that were lucky enough to dodge the captain's leg were left coughing in the dust cloud left behind.

"36 Caliber Phoenix!" Zoro shouted, firing a slash into the air to collide with an incoming mortar. The iron ball split down the middle, the projectile cleaved in two, before exploding.

"Cyclone Tempo!" Nami yelled, two poles of her Clima-Tact arching down to smack a couple of agents before boomeranging back up to reconnect with the third in her hand. A group of Franky Family men jumped off of the back of Sodom, declaring that they'd make a stand there to thin the herd before they way to the Tower of Law on foot.

The pirates were getting closer to the Tower of Law...

 **End of Chapter 75**

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 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	76. The Burning Flag

**Chapter 76:**

 **The Burning Flag**

"Go, Sodom!" Luffy cheered. "Go, Gomorrah!" The King Bulls plowed through the streets of Enies Lobby, pushing forward against the continuous onslaught of agents and marines that tried to stop them. Debris littered the streets behind the invaders, covering the bodies of the defeated. Gomorrah had taken the lead from the start, but he wasn't even watching where he was going. His head was crained back to look at his passengers, talking to Chopper about how he and Sodom had ended up in the company of the Franky Family. Luffy was to the leftmost side of Gomorrah, firing off Gum-Gum Whip after Gum-Gum Gatling without any sign of slowing down. On the other side, the rightmost flank of Sodom, Gin was firing off lightning with that gleam in his eye. A thunder cloud trailed behind them at Nami's design, releasing a lightning strike whenever the lightning-man cast a ball of electricity into it.

And then the mortar struck, exploding on the King Bull's chest, causing Gomorrah to cough blood. Three more mortars exploded, puncturing both of his lungs with shrapnel. Knowing he couldn't go any further, the beast told Chopper to order the Straw Hats to jump to Sodom. The pirates did so unhappily, not wanting to leave him behind. With a final battle cry, Gomorrah threw himself forward, crushing over 100 marines before blacking out. The pirates and company couldn't tell if Gomorrah was still alive.

Angered by their new friend's defeat, Luffy let loose a Gum-Gum Gatling on the building where the mortars that had brought him down came from, destroying it and leaving the debris to fall on the men inside, said debris joining the countless other bits and pieces of destruction on the ground.

There was a man on the roof of the courthouse, watching the battle as a person in a theater may watch a movie. The man's distinctive hair identified him as Blueno.

"I'll fight this guy," Luffy growled, spotting the man and punching his palm.

"No, Captain," Coby halted. "Please, save your energy for Lucci. I didn't fight the giants, so I will fight this guy." Luffy wanted to argue, but Zoro placed a hand on his shoulder, giving the teen a nod when he turned his head. "But Captain," the rosette continued, "it would be appreciated if you could help me get there."

With a nod, Luffy launched the younger, yet taller, pirate over the gap between the remaining King Bull and the courthouse roof. Coby landed with a grunt, one hand pressed to the concrete. Blueno regarded him with tired eyes as the pirate scanned the battlefield. There were two columns on the rooftop, one on either side of the building, but the rest of the area was flat and clear.

"Do you know that what you are committing is a world-class crime?" the agent questioned.

"I am aware," Coby affirmed, slowly unsheathing his blades. "I am also aware that the government has been known to double-cross pirates that make deals with them. This seems like one of those times."

"You are too smart of your own good," Blueno sighed. "Not that it will make any difference in the end. I will have you know, though, that this is the furthest that anyone has ever infiltrated a Marine stronghold this strong."

"We'll go farther by the time we're done. Five Point Style: Meteor Swords!" With a quick change, the now-hybrid Devil Fruit user charged the agent.

"Iron Body," Blueno muttered just before the swords or horns hit him, each of them stopping.

"What?" Coby questioned, jumping back. "Let's try this, then. Cretaceous Charge!" Sheathing his swords and bending down into his Dino Mode, Coby ran at the former bar owner who simply held out his hands and repeated his previous phrase. Coby was halted once again, the agent gripping his top horns.

"You pirates are causing a ruckus," Blueno sighed, gripping Coby's horns tight enough to make him flinch. "I'll stop you all here." Blueno spun, picking Coby up off the ground and building up momentum before throwing the younger man into one of the columns at the side, sending the pirate through it in a spray of broken concrete.

"Ow," Coby grunted as he rubbed his head, standing and shifting back to his hybrid form. "That may not have been the worst thing I've ever felt, but it wasn't the best either."

"When we heard that the Straw Hats invaded, I asked Khalifa for information on their members." Blueno moved toward his opponent slowly, taking deliberate steps as he continued. "I know everything I need to about you, Tri-Horn Coby, swordsman of the Straw Hat Pirates and former cabin boy of the Love Pirates."

Coby's dinosauric eyes contracted, images of his past self flying through his mind. Him when he was weak and cowardly, when he still trusted the Marines as an absolute justice. When he was pathetic.

"What's wrong, Tri-Horn?" the agent questioned. "You're tensing up."

"I'm..." Coby swallowed. "I'm not that weakling anymore. I can't believe government agents would stoop low enough as to use bad memories against their opponents."

"Officially, we aren't. Shave." The big man blurred out of focus, only leaving Coby with time for his eyes to widen. He tried to move, but his body was still tensed from the memories of Alvida. "Finger Pistol."

"Gah!" Coby cried out, the attack puncturing his left shoulder. His left sword dropped to the ground, clattering on the concrete. With an animalistic growl, Coby tried to punch the agent in the face.

"Iron Body," the agent countered. With his left arm moving to grab Blueno's hand, which was still stuck in his shoulder, Coby punched again and again. Finally, he was rewarded with blood dripping from the agent's nose.

"Impressive," Blueno grunted, kicking the Zoan in the stomach and dislodging his finger from the boy's shoulder. Coby tumbled backwards, gripping his shoulder and one of his blades landing next to him. The sword's twin sat at Blueno's feet. "To be able to break through the Iron Body technique, no matter how little, is truly a feat. You would have done well as a marine."

"Shut up!" the pirate yelled, forcing himself to stand on shaky legs. "I chose this life! I'm not going to turn my back on my friends for some dead dream! We will get Robin back!" Releasing his hold on his wounded shoulder, Coby kicked up his remaining sword and fell into an offensive stance with the sword up by his face. "It's been a month since we got back from Skypia. Since then, I've trained every day with Zoro-sensei to have the power to wield a cannon in the palm of my hand."

"What are you going on about?" Blueno questioned.

"The desires you have are neutral, but I will not let them stand in my way. One Sword Style: 36 Caliber Phoenix!" Blueno's eyes widened, too surprised to dodge the flying slash in time. The attack cut through his clothing, leaving a diagonal gash running from his right shoulder to under his left pictorial. Coby released a primal roar as he charged his foe.

"Shave," Blueno grunted, blurring out of view. "Moonwalk. Tempest Kick." Jumping through the air, the agent fired his own flying slashes, these originating from his legs. Coby responded by diving forward to dodge the first few and grab his other sword before blocking them as best he could.

"Shave. Finger Pistol. Shave. Tempest Kick. Shave. Iron Body: Crush."

Coby growled, relying on his animalistic instinct to guess where the man would strike next, but it wasn't working out too well. The Tempest Kick had grazed his side and he had barely gotten away from the Iron Body attack.

"36 Caliber Phoenix!"

"Tempest Kick."

The two attacks collided in the air and seemed to battle for dominance until the pirate's gave out. Coby's eyes widened as he dropped. The attack still caught him, cutting a gash out of the top right of his crown that would change over to his forehead after transforming. Luckily, since the crown didn't receive as much blood as other areas, it didn't bleed much and would probably scar instantly. Still, it hurt like Hell.

Staining his legs, Coby jumped as high as he could to take a swing at the man. Blueno dodged, jumping up off the air again. With another jump, the man dove toward his pirate adversary.

Coby tucked and rolled, avoiding the bull of a man as he hit the ground, only for the roof they were standing on to open, spinning around a central axis.

"What?" Coby questioned, stumbling away from the rotating roof. "Another one of their powers? Doubtful. With a move like that... Devil Fruit!" Hopping away just in time, the pirate managed to dodge the hands that came out of the tile where his feet had been. The hands, not finding their targets, retracted, allowing the tiles to close and reseal themselves.

An outline of the agent appeared on the rooftop, slowing opening to show that the man himself had his back pressed against it. He stood before closing it with a squeak.

"So which one?" Coby asked.

"I'm sorry?"

"Which Devil Fruit did you eat?"

"I ate the Door-Door Fruit and became a door-man. Where you see a wall, I see a possible entrance."

"Devil Fruits really do a lot of things," Coby mused as he shifted form. "Or maybe they're just bullshit. Either way, I won't let that stop me. Cretaceous Charge!"

"Trying the same attack twice won't change the outcome," Blueno rumbled, grabbing Coby's horns again. This time, however, Coby was ready. Twisting himself, the dinosaur-person lifted Blueno off his feet and ran toward the cliffside edge. Without mercy, Coby lifted himself onto his back legs and kicked his opponent with his front legs. The attack slammed into the agent's solar plexus, forcing him to let go and fall over the edge.

"Air Door!" The falling assassin opened a door in midair, allowing him to transport himself back onto the roof. Coby was caught off guard, but he still managed to avoid the Finger Pistol that came for him a second later. The column behind him was not so lucky.

"Pandora's Box!" Coby cut a square into the man's torso and kicked him, landing his kick on the gash left by his earlier flying slash. Blueno coughed blood, the pain nearly forcing him into unconsciousness, but he held on. Mustering the energy, he Shaved to the center of the rooftop.

"You are strong," the man admitted. "Stronger than I'd thought. One more attack shall decide our match. Iron Body: Strength."

"Five Point Style Special Technique: 68 Million Years!" Spinning his swords in front of him, Coby launched himself at his opponent. Blueno diverted his Iron Body technique into his hands, catching the swords that came for him. He was not prepared for when Coby stabbed forward with his own face, his three horns impaling the man's unprotected torso.

"Guh," Blueno coughed, spitting up blood. "D-Damn."

"I really should thank you," Coby muttered, neither him or his opponent moving. "Without my eyes, I might not have seen it, but I think I'll be able to copy that Shave technique. Maybe not soon, but with our chef's help I will."

"You... little brat," Blueno gasped before the pain stole his consciousness. Picking up the man, Coby shuffled over the edge of the building and tossed him off. Blueno did not make another Air Door.

"Good job, Shrimp." Coby turned, shrinking down and wiping the blood off his face as the rest of his Nakama approached him, Zoro having been the one to speak. "Cool scar, too." The other attackers had entered the courthouse while he had been fighting, so, while the Straw Hats were making their way upward, the Franky Family had taken the bottom floor and fortified themselves inside.

Luffy nodded to Coby as he walked by, a relieved smile on his face. Following his lead, the other Straw Hats climbed up onto the wall of the roof with Luffy in the middle. To his left were Zoro, Chopper in his Heavy Point, Gin, and Amy while on his right side were Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Coby, and Grace.

"Robin!" Luffy yelled, his voice echoing across the island. "We're here for you!"

Luffy's call did not go unanswered as what remained of Cipher Pol #9 walked out onto the balcony, Robin and Franky with them. The woman had tears in her eyes and her hands cuffed behind her as she gazed upon her former crewmates standing up to the world for her, and she was filled with self-loathing.

"Can't you leave me alone?!" she screamed. "Just let me go! I just want to die!"

"If you want to say that after we've saved you, that's fine," Luffy responded, "but anything you say, you say it as a part of my crew! You got that?"

"Are you people stupid?!" Spandam yelled. "I hold in my hand the power to call down the wrath of the World Government on you like my father did to her homeland of Ohara!"

"Please, just leave me!" Robin pleaded. "The world took everything from me 20 years ago, and now that I have friends to call my own, my twisted fate is rearing its ugly head against you! Just leave while you still can!"

"Do you not understand what this flag means?" Spandam taunted, pointing straight upward at the flag above him. "It represents the combined might of over 170 countries around the world! Do you think you can stand up to that?"

"I get it now," Luffy stated, pointing at the World Government flag flying proudly on the flagpole above the agents. "That flag is the reason Robin doesn't think she can come with us. Usopp, shoot it down."

"Yes, Captain." Taking a step back, Usopp placed a pellet in the pouch of his weapon, Kabuto. "Special Attack: Firebird Star!"

It was at that moment that the world watched in awe as fire in the shape of a bird burned through the flag of the world. The Straw Hat Pirates were declaring war on the World Government itself.

"Tell us, Robin!" Luffy shouted. "What do you want?!"

"I..." Robin cried, tears pouring from her eyes the likes of which she had only experienced once before, but where those had been tears of loss, these were different. "I... I WANT TO LIVE! TAKE ME OUT TO SEA WITH YOU! TAKE ME AWAY FROM HERE!"

Luffy smirked, the rest of the crew following in his example. "Understood."

 **End of Chapter 76**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	77. The Tower of Law

**Chapter 77:**

 **The Tower of Law**

Wealth, fame, power.

Gol D. Roger, the King of the Pirates, obtained this and everything else the world had to offer, and his dying words sent countless souls to the seas:

"You want my treasure? You can have it! I left everything I gathered together in one place. Now you just have to find it!"

These words lured men to the Grand Line in pursuit of dreams greater than they'd ever dared to imagine. This is the time known as the Great Pirate Era!

* * *

 _"Tell us, Robin!" Luffy shouted. "What do you want?!"_

 _"I..." Robin cried, tears pouring from her eyes the likes of which she had only experienced once before, but where those had been tears of loss, these were different. "I... I WANT TO LIVE! TAKE ME OUT TO SEA WITH YOU! TAKE ME AWAY FROM HERE!"_

 _Luffy smirked, the rest of the crew following in his example. "Understood."_

The Franky Family had amazing timing. Just as the Straw Hats declared war on the World Government and Robin announced her wish, the drawbridge underneath them began lowering. The Marines, however, didn't want them to make it, a cannonball exploding at the base of the bridge. With the machines at the bottom broken, the bridge was frozen halfway open.

"Shitty Marines," Luffy cursed, taking a page out of Sanji's dictionary. "They're always getting in our way. Someone, plan!"

"Ahh!" On the other side of the gap, Franky had been pushed off the balcony for burning the blueprints of Pluton.

"Big Bro Franky!" the Franky Family cried from within the courthouse.

"Luffy!" Nami yelled. "Use a Gum-Gum Balloon to become a trampoline down there! Amy, use your powers to get over there and give us a hole!" Luffy nodded, hopping down onto the broken bridge where he began sucking in air. Amy reduced her weight and rocketed herself over the gap with her breath-dial-rigged umbrella. Increasing her mass at the last second, Amy smashed through the wall of the Tower of Law, opening a hole three floors high.

Zoro smirked as he jumped off the roof with a running start, bouncing off Luffy's inflated back. He caught Franky on his way past, giving the cyborg a not-very-pleasant landing. Sanji was next, followed by Coby who didn't quite stick the landing and fell on his face. Chopper followed, Nami and Grace forcing him to carry them both. Gin was last, choosing to jump since he could not lightning-travel yet. Luffy joined them with a single stretch of his arms.

"Alright!" Luffy cheered, flipping into a perfect landing as he skidded to a stop. "I'm going to go kick their asses and take Robin back!"

"Hold on, Luffy!" Zoro ordered, he and Gin each grabbing one side of their captain's face. The teen's cheeks stretched, but he did not move forward despite his attempts.

"What strange people, chapapa," a voice said. The crew panicked until Usopp spotted the speaker, Fukurou, holding himself up in a corner of the room. "You will never be able to save your friend. She's being guarded by Lucci while she's led to the Gate of Justice and the rest of us stall you, chapapa. Why did I tell them that, chapapa?"

"Plot convenience?" Gin suggested.

"This guy isn't very bright," Chopper muttered.

"Is that a zipper?" Amy questioned.

"Where is Robin?" Zoro demanded.

"Getting out of your reach," Fukurou taunted. "Even if you do get her back, you won't be able to free her without beating all of us, chapapa. Just, give me a second." Mumbling, the _maybe_ -human agent reached into his suit and dug out a key with a 4 of it. "This might be the key you need to free Nico Robin from her Sea Prism Stone handcuffs, chapapa. Why did I say that, chapapa?"

"That's good to know," Coby commented.

"Give it to us!" Luffy roared, his arm stretching to destroy the bricks where the agent had been. Fukurou dodged with the use of Shave, landing by the opening in the wall.

"Even if you defeat me, you don't know if this is the key you need, chapapa. There are five of us with keys, after all. Why did I say that, chapapa?" Luffy threw another Gum-Gum Pistol at the rotund agent who vanished in a blur. He did not reappear.

"So there are 11 of us, including Franky," Nami counted. "That guy said there were five agents with keys and that the Pigeon Guy Lucci was guarding Robin."

"Robin!" Luffy shouted, running off before his crew could stop him.

"Dumbass," Nami complained.

"And yet, you're the one dating him," Amy noted.

"I know," the navigator sighed. "As much of a moron as he can be, I trust that Luffy will be able to save Robin."

"You mean you think he knows what he's doing?" Usopp asked, surprised.

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Kyahahaha," Amy laughed.

"Anyway," Gin entered. "There are now ten of us and five of them. The best plan would be to split into pairs and hunt them down.

"Good idea," Sanji agreed.

"I'll take Coby!" Grace called before her sister could speak up.

"I'll go with the Donna," Gin supplied. When Sanji moved to argue, he added, "Her weather-based attacks would have no effect on me."

"I want Zoro!" Usopp cried, causing Chopper to try to argue to no avail.

"Amy-chwan can come with me!" Sanji swooned, leaving Chopper with the cyborg.

"Go!" Nami ordered, leaving no room for argument. Grabbing their decided partners, the duos dispersed to find opponents to fight, only a slightly-fearful Chopper remaining with Franky.

"Come on, Racoon-Dog Bro," Franky sighed. "We need to find the kitchens so I can refuel on Cola."

"I'm a reindeer!" Chopper yelled. "Why do we need Cola?"

"I'm a cyborg," Franky offered, showing off some of his machines. "I run off of Cola, but I'm down to less than a third of my stock." He indicated his pompadour which had started drooping. "I can't fight effectively like this."

"That's so cool!" Chopper gushed, too awed by the fact that the man was a cyborg to be afraid of him anymore.

"Come on, Reindeer Bro. Let's go!"

* * *

 **Zoro and Usopp**

Usopp had no idea how they managed to find one of the agents with Zoro's sense of direction. Truth be told, he'd hoped that they wouldn't find anybody so they wouldn't have had to fight. But now, he was bravely taking cover (read cowering) behind the green-haired swordsman as said swordsman stared down the former shipwright in a chair.

Kaku's room looked more like a study, the walls lined with bookshelves. The long-nosed agent was seated in a plush red armchair with a book in his hand and a sword on either side of him. He was dressed in all black, right down to his black baseball cap.

"You pirates are stronger than I gave you credit for," Kaku admitted, closing his book. He stood and reached for his swords, causing Usopp to raise his shaking weapon. "To make it this far is very impressive."

"Hey, you bastard!" Usopp shouted from behind Zoro. "Is what you said about the Merry true?!"

"Oh," Kaku blinked. "I didn't see you there, Long-Nose."

"You're one to talk about having a long nose," Zoro grunted.

"And the Merry was your ship, was it not?" Kaku continued, ignoring the older of the two pirates. "I'm afraid I was telling the truth. We may have been undercover, but we took our jobs very seriously." A single sniffle worked its way out of the sniper, the agent's trained ears being the only reason he heard. "Listen, kid. I know you loved that ship, but, if y'all _do_ somehow manage to survive and save Nico Robin, you'll have to let her go... Your ship, I mean."

"Why are you being so mushy?" Zoro questioned, pointing Kitetsu III at the man.

"Sorry," Kaku replied with a surprised blink. "Old habits. I liked the shipwright job more than Lucci ever did. Anyway," the agent's entire demeanor changed, becoming serious, "shall we begin our fight?"

"Bring it on," Zoro growled, placing Wado Ichimonji in his mouth and unsheathing Yubashiri.

"Just so you know, I'm the best swordsman out of all the Cipher Pols." In a flash, Kaku had pulled out his blades and was running toward the two pirates. Zoro reacted in kind, leaving Usopp behind to meet the agent blow for blow. After an intense 30 seconds, the two spun apart to stare each other down.

"Two Sword Style," Zoro noted. "Just like my student."

"I'm afraid you're wrong," Kaku denied, stabbing his swords into the floor beside him and lifting his feet. Silently, he launched twin Tempest Kicks as the swordsman who batted them aside with his swords. The two slashes cut into the bookshelves behind the pirate, causing all the books to fall to the floor. "I use Four Sword Style. Tempest Kick."

"I guess your whole body is a weapon, isn't it?" Zoro launched forward, Kaku following in his example as the two met for another harsh battle. Usopp stayed by the door, trying and failing to get a clean shot. Kaku broke away from Zoro, jumping into the air.

"Tempest Kick!"

"72 Caliber Phoenix!" The two attacks met in the middle, canceling each other out with a shockwave that shook the room.

"Moonwalk. Shave." The agent vanished, jumping around the room until he came to rest on his swords stabbed in the wall. "Tempest Kick: Butcher." A hail of flying slashes descended upon the green-haired man, the agent having forgotten about his other enemy. Zoro's eyes narrowed as he concentrated on deflecting the attacks. Though the slashes began destroying the room, Usopp found a perfect shot and tried to take it.

"Special Attack: Gunpowder Star!" Kaku flipped out of the way of the pellet that exploded, putting a hole in the wall where he had been. Silently musing that he could have easily survived that, the agent turned back to his foes.

"Good golly, y'all are being difficult. I suppose I'll have to take this up a notch? There's something I want to try." Suddenly, Kaku's form began to change, his neck elongating and two blunt horns breaking out of the top of his hat. Brown spots began forming all over his now-yellow skin and his mouth extended outward. Finally, a tail freed itself from his backside as his whole body grew. "Beware my power, for-!"

Kaku didn't get to finish his sentence as the weakened floor began to crumble under the weight.

* * *

 **Coby and Grace**

"Finally," Coby muttered, carefully closing the door to the garden room. "We found one. He's sleeping and left the key out in the open. Should we avoid a fight?"

Grace nodded. "You're still in bad shape from fighting that other guy. Let me go in and get the key." Without waiting for a response, Grace pulled open the door. Taking note of a sleeping Jabra lying on his side, a sleep bubble coming from his nose and the key in front of him, the little redhead (who was, in actuality, the same height as their adversary) tip-toed forward. About halfway to her target, a small rooster walked into her path and stopped. It turned to her, making eye contact, and opened its mouth.

"Colors Trap," the girl whispered. "Calming Green." The bird closed its mouth and wandered off, a small yawn escaping and its back feathers stained green. Grace let out a sigh of relief. She continued forward before stopping suddenly. Her eyes widened as the thing's sound reached her eyes.

Bzzzzz

With a silent scream, Grace flailed and ran, avoiding the small yellow-and-black dot following her.

"Grace!" Coby panicked, running in and forgetting about the need for stealth. "Grace, what's wrong?" Running to him, Grace pull the boy around so he was firmly between her and the little bug.

"I'm deathly allergic to bees," she explained in a frightened whisper. "I have medicine back on the ship, but I didn't bring it since I didn't think I'd need it." Pulling out a single sword, Coby cut the offending insect in two.

"Hahahaha!" Jabra laughed, now awake and eyeing the youngest pirates as if they were each a snack. "When I went to sleep, I was wondering how I was going to wake up. I was hoping it would be that dopey-ass-looking sniper of yours, but I'll take two brats as well!"

"Can you really call me a brat?" Coby questioned. "You may be older, but I'm taller than you are." Jabra shut his mouth, his height seeming to a sore topic. He growled as his form shifted, growing taller than Coby. Grey fur sprouted across his body and his nails sharpened to deadly points.

"The Dog-Dog Fruit: Model Wolf," Jabra explained. "Like wolves, I prefer clean kills. I rip out your jugular, you die quickly and with little pain." The pirates stared at him blankly. "...What, nothing? No reaction? Eh, fine then. I guess I'll go for the girl first!"

"You won't touch her," Coby responded with ice in his tone, his own transformation causing the agent's eyes to widen. "The Ancient Zoan: Model Triceratops. A little bit stronger than a wolf, wouldn't you say?"

"You smug little bastard."

"Still taller than you."

With a growl, Jabra launched himself forward, only Coby's reaction speed allowing him to grab Grace and roll away.

"You're pretty fast for a fat dinosaur," Jabra laughed. "Maybe this'll be more fun than I thought it would be." However, before he could go on, the ceiling caved in, three forms falling from the room above.

"Zoro-sensei!" Coby gasped. "Usopp! And, is that a giraffe?"

"It looks like a giraffe," Grace agreed, choosing to not mention that Coby was still holding on to her.

"Damn it!" the giraffe cursed. "I meant to go into my Man-Beast Form, but I messed up on the man part!"

"Ahhahaha!" the wolf-man laughed, pointing at the long-necked animal in black clothes. "The Ox-Ox Fruit: Model Giraffe! Could you have gotten a lamer power? I told you not to eat that Devil Fruit, but you did anyway! Hahaha!"

"Shut up!" the ungelate yelled at the wolf-man. "You don't know the full destructive power of a giraffe!"

"That's still so stupid!"

"Giraffes are awesome," the animal stated, eyes narrowing. " _I_ _fucking_ _love_ _giraffes_." (Actual translation)

"Uh, Kaku?" Coby asked, recognizing the voice. "Is that you?"

"Oh, Coby, right?"

"Did you just eat your Devil Fruit?"

"About an hour ago," the agent admitted, ignoring his still-laughing fellow agent. "I'm still working out the kinks."

"I know how that feels," Coby agreed with a nod. "I fell out of a tree, and then got my horns stuck in said tree, when I got mine."

"You never told us that," Usopp put in. "We just watched you keep getting stuck after our fight with Mr. 3 and Mr. 5. And are we interrupting something?"

"Huh?" He looked down, seeing Grace still securely in his arms from when they had dodged Jabra's first attack. Strangely enough, she wasn't trying to get out. "Sorry, Grace! Sorry, sorry, sorry!" He led go quickly and backed up.

"Ahhahaha!" Jabra continued to laugh.

"We have I comrade to save," Zoro finally growled. "Can we get this moving?"

"Oh, right," Kaku blinked. "Now behold, my Man-Beast Form!" His neck shrunk just a little bit, the front of his body losing its brown spots. His snout flattened, extending into a larger version of his square nose. He stood up on his back legs, his front turning into hand-like hooves.

"Ahahaha!" Everyone in the room laughed except for two people.

"You look so stupid!" Jabra added.

"Hey!" Surprisingly, it was Coby that spoke up. "Don't mock a Zoan's Hybrid Mode!"

"Of course, you would say that!" Usopp laughed. "You're the one with pink hair coming out of your neck!"

"Lay off his appearance!" Kaku defended. "It's not about how it looks, but how effective it is!"

"Thank you!" Coby shouted. "Finally, someone said it!"

"Don't worry, Little Man. I got you on this." With tears of a bond formed through understanding, Coby and Kaku locked their hands together in a sign of friendship.

"...Wow," Grace blinked. "Bromance on the battlefield. Never thought I'd see that."

"Shrimp!" Zoro yelled. "Stop flirting with the enemy!"

"I don't swing that way!" both Coby and Kaku yelled, separating.

"Either way, we don't have time to be friends," Zoro grunted. "We have to beat them and get their keys."

"Right, sorry," Coby apologized.

"Too bad, Little Man," Kaku said. "I like you, but that doesn't mean I'll just step aside and let you take my key."

"Yeah, nothing personal."

"Coby, let me take him," Zoro stated, readying his swords. "You wouldn't be able to go all out against him."

"Alright," his student agreed, bending down to change into his full dinosaur form. "Grace?"

"I'm here," the girl responded, jumping up onto Coby's neck. "Let's skin this wolf."

 **End of Chapter 77**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	78. The Monster Within

**Chapter 78:**

 **The Monster Within**

 **Sanji and Amy**

"You know, I like being a girl as much as the next chick, but this is too much." Amy's opinion seemed sound, her and Sanji having found themselves in a bedroom covered in pink. Pink walls, pink floor, pink sheets. There were even pink stuffed animals in the corner. "I mean, yellow is so much better than pink, anyway."

"This is definitely weird for an assassin's bedroom," Sanji agreed. "I bet it belongs to that Pigeon Guy."

"I'm afraid this isn't Lucci's," a female voice denied, the open door behind the pirates closing. They turned to find Khalifa leaving against the wood, her hand turning the lock behind her. She was dressed in all-black clothing with a _very_ low-cut shirt. "Why don't you two stay a while? I'll make some tea."

"That's a great idea!" Sanji exclaimed with hearts in his eyes, his arms waving and wiggling in the air as if he'd lost all the bones therein.

"You moron!" the female pirate yelled, punching her fellow blond with an increased-mass punch to the face.

"I'm sorry, Amy-chwan!" Sanji cried as he flew into a dresser, crushing it into kindling.

"I was hoping you would just accept my invitation," Khalifa whined cutely, batting her eyelashes at the pirates. Amy wasn't falling for it.

"Look, lady," the chocolatier spat, leveling her umbrella at the other woman. "You may have that idiot fooled, but every pretty face has that idiot flopping like a fish out of water. Me? I'm an assassin, too. And a professional one, at that. I know what I'm doing."

"Oh?" Khalifa chuckled. "An assassin? And where was this that you were an assassin?"

"Baroque Works," Amy answered. "I was a number agent, though I doubt you've heard the name Ms. Valentine. Mr. 5 and I were very thorough with our jobs."

"Indeed, Crocodile kept his operations very secret, even after we captured or confirmed the deaths of every member we could find. However, the other members arrested weren't so tight-lipped and Crocodile kept detailed records. Less than five agents got away in total. We know of both you and Ms. Goldenweek. Or should I say, Amy Palant and your sister, Grace?"

"You've done your research," Amy admitted. "I don't know how, but-"

"Tea's done!" Sanji noodled by a table with a pink tablecloth. Amy palmed her face as Khalifa smirked and sauntered over to the chef, making sure her hips swayed. Sanji couldn't keep his eyes off of the woman as she sat down and gingerly lifted the cup to her lips.

"Why are most men on the crew such dumbasses?" Amy questioned herself. Khalifa was facing away from her now, sitting down and drinking her tea, so Amy decided that maybe she could end this fight quickly. She raised her parasol up and increased its mass before swinging it down on the agent's head.

The attack was ineffective. Amy's parasol seemed to slip down the woman's light brown hair, becoming smoother than it ever should have been. She pulled away, only to see that her beloved umbrella had rounded like solid plastic at the edges.

"What?" She gasped. "What did you do?!" Sanji said nothing, he was still staring, unabashed, at Khalifa's cleavage.

"Do you like it?" the agent asked, taking a sip of the tea Sanji had made. "It's a new technique I've been working on." Standing suddenly, Khalifa ignored Amy's shouts and Sanji's staring as she walked over the pull out a changing wall. With the press of a button, the top of the bed slid backward to become a tub that began filling with water. Clothes then began falling from behind the curtain.

"Is now really the time for that?!" Amy screamed. Next to her, Sanji had a nosebleed and passed out.

"Why of course it is," Khalifa purred, stepping out from behind the curtain with nothing but a towel and lowering herself into the bath. Bubbles arose in the water unnaturally fast.

"I'm going to deal with you right here and now," Amy growled, running her power into her umbrella. "Parasol Club!"

* * *

 **Nami and Gin**

Nami and Gin ran down a hallway side-by-side, little scorch marks showing Gin's progress through the tower. He was dutifully following his captain's lover as she searched for an opponent, or a safe, or a vault... Actually, he believed Nami was looking for money rather than an enemy to fight. Unfortunately for her, an enemy found them.

"Yoi yoi!" Kumadori cried as the two turned a corner. He was using his huge body to block the way, his pink hair wiggling randomly like little snakes. He spoke very slowly, making sure to define every syllable that come out of his mouth. "Oh, how the blessings of the god of war has fallen upon my lowly form! For he has granted me not one, but two messengers to the afterlife!"

"Listen, pal," Gin growled. "We've got places to be and people to save. Get out of our way."

"You shall not escape me!" Kumadori voiced, his hair wrapping around both of the pirates who began to struggle. "You will help me send-!" He didn't finish as Gin's limbs all but exploded, lightning shooting out to shock the man and burn his hair. Gin reformed outside of the sage's reach, drawing his flintlock pistol and pointing it at the man. He fired.

Kumadori, however, was not a CP9 agent for nothing. Using his staff, he deflected the bullet back at the man who let it pass through his incorporeal form.

"Let the Donna go."

"A Logia, I see," Kumadori observed, rubbing his chin as his hair shifted Nami to the side, her hand just brushing by his chest. "A ghost of a man, you are. Not fully human, and yet you retain your shape. An anomaly of nature just like the shifting of the seasons."

"I said," Gin growled, tossing his empty gun to the side. "Let the Donna go!" He launched forward, his sparking tonfa burning through locks of the agent's hair to free the navigator who backed away from the kabuki-themed man.

"I need somewhere more open!" Nami coughed, rubbing her sore throat from were the agent had his hair wrapped around it and taking off back the way they had come. Gin had no choice but to follow, Kumadori chasing them so as to not lose his prey.

"Though a man may train to move at the speed of light, he cannot escape death! Shave!" Suddenly, the agent was in front of Nami, trying to wrap her in his hair again. Gin came to her rescue, diving in to hit the man in the chest with both of his weapons.

"3000 Watt Slam!"

"Ack!" Kumadori fell back, clutching his chest where his heart should be.

"Come on!" Gin yelled, he and Nami taking off past the gasping man. "I put enough power into that to stop a man's heart, but I don't think it'll work on this guy!" The two ran, angry shouts from the agent behind them spurring Nami to run faster. Finally reaching the center room with the staircases, the pirates turned back to face their opponent.

"Have you finally come to accept your deaths?" Kumadori slowly emerged from the shadows of the hallway, his hair still waving, the ends blackened.

"Get him, Gin!" Nami ordered, her Clima-Tact sending out Cool Balls and Heat Balls on either side of her. Gin nodded and launched forward.

"Yes, Donna. Spinning Death: Lightning Strikes!" As the name implied, Gin started attacking at the speed of lightning, electricity sparking off of his weapons.

"Armarment!" Kumadori countered, his hands and staff being covered in a black substance and the staff and tonfa clashed. Flashing back to his fight with Aokiji, Gin deduced that the black stuff was meant to somehow hurt him. He didn't want to find out.

"What is that?" Nami questioned, having never seen the technique before. Gin and Kumadori broke apart, the agent spinning his now-black staff.

"My Life Return Technique allows me to control even my internal organs with the force of my will alone!" Kumadori began. "However, this is not the only technique I posses. My Armarment Haki allows me to coat my staff as well as parts of my body in pure willpower, giving me the ability to hit even Logias!"

"Oh shit," Gin cursed.

"Prepare to die! Finger Pistol: Cue!" Stabbing forward with his staff like a pool cue, the agent tried to hit both of the pirates who dodged in opposite directions.

"Lightning Shot!" Gin yelled, firing a blast of electricity from between his tonfa. Stopping his aggressive movements, the sage pulled his staff back to spin it and diffuse the attack. He continued the centrifugal motion, swinging the club out to where it caught Gin in the side. He coughed blood at the staff batted him into the far wall.

"You will have to do better than that!" Kumadori taunted.

"Thunderbolt Tempo!" As if in response, massive lightning bolts shot from the storm cloud that Nami had formed above them. Kumadori's eyes widened as the bolts trained down around him. He knew that a strike from one of them had a good chance of killing him, so he vanished, retreating with a Shave. When the lightning cleared, he was gone.

"Dammit!" Gin raged, crushing a wall with a blast of extra electrical energy from one tonfa. "How are we supposed to track him?!"

"We don't have to," Nami answered, holding up the key she had pickpocketed after first meeting their foe. "Getting the key was the easy part. We just have to hope that-"

WHAM! Two somethings slammed into the floor on their right, forming craters. Twisting around to see them, Nami and Gin found Sanji face down and Amy face up, but they were completely smooth and covered in blood. They appeared to be like human-shaped balloons, even their hands having been rounded out to seem ovular. Amy's parasol came next, clattering to the for next to its owner in a similar state.

"Sanji!" Gin shouted. "Amy! What happened?" The Man-Demon flashed over, gingerly raising Amy's upper body off the floor.

"That girl that was Iceberg's secretary," Amy coughed. Only Nami had seen Khalifa without a disguise in Water 7, but since there was only one female CP9 agent, it wasn't hard for Gin to understand. "She was the one I fought earlier. I... I couldn't beat her and Sanji's damn chivalry wouldn't let him kick her. I'm sorry." Amy's consciousness floated away and she slumped backwards.

"Don't worry," Gin growled, lowering Amy to the floor. "Rest up. The Donna and I will handle her."

"Oh will you now?" Nami and Gin looked up, surprised to see the woman with nothing but bubbles covering her most private areas leaning on the railing above them.

"I bet you Sanji passed out before the fight began," Gin stated.

"No dice," Nami responded. "Thieves don't take suckers' bets. Let's go."

* * *

 **Franky and Chopper**

"This way!" Chopper called, running in his Walk Point ahead of his cyborg partner. He took a sharp left down a hallway, only to bump into something and come rolling back.

"Reindeer Bro!" Franky yelled, skidding to a stop by the doctor. "You ok?"

"Yeah," Chopper grunted, reverting to his Brain Point. "What did I hit?"

"Chapapa! It was I, Fukurou, the silent lover of rumors, chapapa." Fukurou was standing in the hallway to the kitchen, his body taking up nearly the entire space. "You will not get by me, chapapa."

"Oh great," Franky moaned. "Not this clown again. Stand back, Reindeer Bro. I'll _super_ deal with him."

"You can try," Fukurou chuckled, "but I will not let you pass, chapapa!"

"Strong Right!"

"Iron Body!" Franky's fist met the agent's stomach, a cough coming from Fukurou as he took a step back.

"It's cool how you CP9 guys as make your bodies as hard as iron," Franky admitted, "but my hands are the _super_ genuine article." Reaching over with his left hand, the cyborg pulled off the skin of his right, revealing that it was just a flesh-like covering for his iron hand.

"That's so cool!" Chopper gasped, stars in his eyes. Franky ignored him for the moment, focusing on their opponent who was glaring at the cyborg.

"Strong Hammer!" Franky moved forward to punch the man again.

"Shave!" The agent vanished in a burst of speed many would think impossible for his body type. Reappearing in front of Chopper, Fukurou prepared to stab the little doctor with his finger.

"Heavy Point!" Chopper yelled, surprising the self-proclaimed Lover of Rumors. With a strong punch, Chopper was able to send the agent rolling back toward the cyborg who batted him away with his fists. Fukurou crashed into the wall.

"Weapons Left!" Opening his wrist hatch, Franky aimed and fired with the last of his cola. The wall exploded into a dust cloud, but there was no blood or body. "Damn it. The coward dodged."

"What was that about me being a coward, chapapa?" Fukurou had positioned himself above the pirate and shipwright, holding himself up with his arms and legs.

"Rumble," Chopper growled, chomping down on one of his Rumble Balls. "Jump Point!" Shifting into a leaner form, Franky watched in awe as the doctor launched himself at the government assassin. Fukurou, however, was ready this time and avoided him with a Shave.

"Get back here!" Chopper ordered, jumping off the wall to aim for the agent. "Arm Point: Cloven Hoof!"

"Moonwalk!" Chopper's ridiculously-oversized arms slammed into the ground where the government man had been, carving a clover shape into the concrete.

"Keep him busy, Reindeer Bro!" Franky called. "I'll _super_ be back after I've refilled!"

"Don't leave me!" Chopper panicked.

"Shave!" With two motions, Fukurou punched Chopper and appeared in front of the native of Water 7 with his fist raised. Franky blocked the first punch with his forearm, but the second clipped his chin, sending him through the wall behind him.

"Franky!" Chopper yelled.

"I'm not done with you, yet, chapapa." Fukurou launched toward the reindeer with his hand out. "Finger Pistol!"

"Guard Point!" Chopper cried. Once again caught by surprise, the assassin's attack was too slowed by the fur to hurt, becoming only a light poke. Shedding the fur, Chopper threw it on the agent and transformed again, this time into his Horn Point. Pawing the ground while his opponent flailed around, Chopper charged. His horns lightly stabbed the man, only going deep enough to draw blood but pushing the green-haired thing back regardless. The two went through the hole Franky's body had made to enter a big room with a giant refrigerator on one wall.

"Finally!" Franky shouted from behind the open refrigerator door. The door slammed shut, revealing Franky with three oddly-shaped bottles clutched in one hand. The cyborg opened his stomach and stuffed the bottles inside. Slowly, his hair waved without a breeze and began to defy gravity again. "I'm feeling _super_ again!"

"So you drank some cola," Fukurou brushed off, backhanding Chopper into a wall to his right. "It's not going to make a difference, chapapa."

"That's where you're _super_ wrong, bastard," Franky smirked. "Strong Right!" Shooting his hand forward with more power than he'd had in hours, the cyborg's fist met the agent's face and threw him backwards.

"You did it!" Chopper cheered as he reverted back to his Brain Point.

"He's not down yet," Franky stated, glaring at the agent as Fukurou pulled himself up.

"You've done it now, chapapa. Now I'm pissed, chapapapapapa!" Bending down, the round agent took off toward the duo he was fighting. "Secret Art, Owl Barrage!" As he ran, Fukurou seemed to split into ten differed copies, each one see-through. They split up, five attacking each opponent.

"Guard Point!" Chopper panicked. The fur managed to protect the reindeer from the worst of the damage, save for a face punch every now and then. Franky, however, did not have that luxury. The fists rained down on him without relief.

"Beans Left!" the cyborg yelled, firing bullet-like shots from his left wrist. None of them hit anything. Fukurou continued to pelt both intruders with his fists, even after Chopper's Rumble Ball timed out.

"Chapapapapapapa!"

"Get the Hell off!" Franky shouted, throwing his arms out in either direction in the hope of hitting something. He got lucky, his left fist crashing into Fukurou's stomach. All of the copies faded as the man slid away. Franky charged him, punching the agent through several walls to where he landed outside.

"You got him!" Chopper cheered again.

"Nah," Franky denied. "He's still got some steam. Leave him to me." Loosening the joints in his robotic hands, the cyborg stepped out of the building.

"So cool!" Chopper whispered to himself.

"What haaaaappened in heeeerrreee?" The doctor nearly panicked, spinning around to find the agent with pink hair in the hole to the hallway. Seeing him, Chopper shifted into his Heavy Point and prepared to fight. "Hmm?" Kumadori hummed, seeing the reindeer. "What are you, my dear gorilla?"

"I'm a reindeer! What are you, an octopus?"

"I'm a lion! For that insult, I shall send you into the afterlife in a spray of red! Shave! Finger Pistol: Cue!"

"Ahh!" Chopper screamed, jumping away from the staff which stabbed into the floor. He whirled around to punch the agent in the face.

"Iron Body," the sage countered. Chopper pulled back, cradling his hand.

"Life Return: Hair Restraints!" The man's hair wiggled out, wrapping around Chopper's arms, legs, and neck. "Yoi, yoi! This is where you die. Please, when you get to the afterlife, find my dear deceased mother and tell her that I am alive and well. And that my killer instincts are as strong as ever. Finger Pistol: Cue!"

"Brain Point!" Chopper cried, avoiding the stab by inches. "Rumble!" Desperate, Chopper crunched down on a second Rumble Ball. "Arm Point!"

But it wasn't Arm Point he got, but Walk Point. Kumadori didn't seem to care, batting the doctor into a far wall with his staff.

"Guard Point!" Chopper prayed, but it was Jump Point that slammed into the concrete. "Damn it. I can't control my transformations."

"You cheated death once already," Kumadori stated. "Have you accepted your fate?"

"No!" Chopper shouted. "I will take you down!" The reindeer changed again, hoping to get one of the two transformations he had that would be useful. He was lucky.

"Shishi-kabob!" Kumadori cried, lighting the top of his staff on fire. He swung at the approaching Arm Point, smacking the pirate in the face. Chopper tried to shake it off, continuing to run forward despite the dizziness in his mind.

"Carving Hoof Sakura!" Leaving pink marks in the shape of the attack's namesake, Chopper expended the last of his energy as his hooves battered at the agent. Kumadori was still for five seconds, his mouth gaping and his nose bloody as he tried to hold onto his consciousness. Unfortunately for the doctor, he succeeded.

"AHHHH!" Kumadori screamed, sweeping his staff forward to throw the human-reindeer into another far wall. Blood seeped from cuts and gashes on Chopper's small body while his foe was only covered in large bruises with a trail of blood running down from the side of his mouth and nose.

He had no other options. With a shaky hand, Chopper raised his third and final Rumble Ball.

"I'm sorry, Doctorine," Chopper whispered, coughing up blood. "I couldn't keep my promise. Rumble."

"RAAAAWWWWRRR!"

 **End of Chapter 78**

* * *

 **To be honest, just about all of that last fight was ripped straight out of the anime, but tis an integral part of the war itself, so I had to include it. I hope you all enjoyed!**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	79. Bubble Trouble

**Chapter 79:**  
 **Bubble Trouble**

 **Gin and Nami**

"This is a lot of pink," Gin observed as he and Nami stepped into Khalifa's room, a pool of bubbles at their feet.

"No kidding," Nami agreed. "There's no... reason..."

"Shit," Gin spat, he and the navigator dropping to their knees. "My strength is fading."

"Do you like it?" Khalifa asked, now clothed, stepping out from behind a pillar. Gin grit his teeth and forced himself to flash forward with the most transformation he could willingly do at the time, that being changing his limbs into lighting to carry his body forward. The agent's eyes widened as she threw up her hands, a shield shaped like a bar of soap shooting up for her to hide behind. Gin's electrified tonfa smashed through the barrier, but the soap gave his female foe the time she needed to escape and land next to a bubble-filled bathtub.

"I'd forgotten that we received word that you'd eaten the Rumble-Rumble Fruit," Khalifa stated, rubbing along her arms where bubbles formed and floated away. "Admiral Aokiji said you weren't forthcoming with where you got it, though."

"I killed God," Gin stated, his spinning tonfa building up power. The breeze they caused was slowly blowing away the bubbles near Nami's feet.

"I see. You don't want to tell us."

"What he means," Nami smirked, lifting herself up with the use of her Perfect Clima-Tact, "is that he defeated a man who called himself God in a place known as Heaven, Godsland Skypia. It was quite a trip."

"So Straw Hat's mistress is a liar as well." The navigator's eyes narrowed at the title. Khalifa continued. "Usually it's Kumadori that deals with our Logia targets since he discovered Armament Haki while developing his Life Return ability, but the rest of us can manage just fine. My new powers will make it easier for me to defeat you, after all."

"Let me guess," Nami yawned. "You ate a Bubble-Bubble Fruit or something."

"How did you know?!" Khalifa gaped defensively. "Ahem, well, it doesn't matter. Now watch in horror as I show you the true terror of bubbles! Bubble Master: Bubble Sheep!"

"That is the stupidest thing I think I've ever seen," Gin commented, eyeing the form Khalifa had created. "And that's saying something to anyone who has met our crew." He wasn't wrong about her form; Khalifa had covered herself in a layer of bubbles from the bathtub beside her, only her legs, face, and arms showing, the latter bent to mimic horns.

"How insulting!" Khalifa cried. "Take this! Calming Bubbles!" The woman's disguise broke apart, shooting toward the Logia in medium-sized clumps. Gin batted them away with a charge running over his iron weapons, choosing to not take any chances. Even so, several blobs still slipped through his guard, striking him and sticking. The Man-Demon felt his strength falling.

"My bubbles have the ability to cleanse anything they touch of nearly anything I please. Grime and dirt, of course, but also things like willpower, energy, and now electricity."

"Maybe so," Gin grunted, falling to one knee, "but I'm not fighting alone. Look up."

"Storm clouds?" the agent gasped.

"There's a storm warning for the entire Tower of Law," Nami smirked, her Clima-Tact still pumping out Heat Balls and Cool Balls to add to the cloud that covered the ceiling. "Storms are expected even indoors, so you should be careful not to be wet. Thunderbolt Tempo!" Nami finished her declaration by firing a Thunder Ball into the cloud. The storm sparked a little before releasing the static current it had downward, multiple blasts of lightning raining down on the floor and leaving scorch marks. One such blast struck Gin who had fallen to all fours, bursting the bubbles that remained on his form and filling him with new energy. Khalifa, however, was able to avoid the lightning with liberal use of her Shave technique and Soap Shield.

"What an interesting weapon you have there," she commented, eyeing the staff that had the power to summon storms and control lightning.

"Isn't it?" Nami gloated. "The perfect weapon for a navigator like me." Gin flashed to her side, a little ahead of the girl, before falling into a defensive stance.

"Thank you, Donna," Gin said, his eyes never leaving their opponent. "Without your help, she may have beaten me."

"Don't forget," Khalifa snarled. "We CP9 agents can move faster than lightning. Shave!" Suddenly, she was gone, only for Nami to shriek.

"Donna Nami!" Gin cried, spinning around.

"Golden Bubbles," Khalifa purred, her head on Nami's shoulder has the agent's lathered hands danced over the younger female's body. As Gin watched in shock, Nami's form slowly changed from that of her normal form to one like Sanji's and Amy's when they'd found them, her weapon falling out of her hands when they became too slippery to hold their grip on it. "Look at how beautiful your skin is now. I'll admit, it doesn't do much for your lesser curves, but your skin is flawless."

"Let her go!" Gin yelled, his tonfa passing through the space the woman's head had been in. Without Khalifa there holding her up, Nami's legs gave out and she crumpled to the floor. "Donna!"

"So worried about her," Khalifa chuckled, causing the Logia to face her. "She's not even the most beautiful woman here."

"At least I have a boyfriend!" Nami retaliated, Khalifa's face twisting into one of shock and rage.

"Why you-!"

BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP...

Halting her own sentence, Khalifa pulled a transponder snail from her cleavage and woke it up.

 _"This is the snail I was looking for!"_ Spandam's voice cried from the snail.

 _"You idiot!"_ Robin's voice cried. "Do you even know what you've done?!"

 _"Of course I do!_ " Spandam replied with fake confidence. _"I pressed the button on the golden transponder snail... I triggered a Buster Call!"_

 _"Everybody run!"_ Robin cried. _"If you stay here, you'll die! Run away!"_

 _"Shut up, you bitch!"_ Spandam shouted followed by the sound of the man punching the woman. _"Don't tell them things they don't need to know! So I pushed the button by accident. It doesn't matter!"_

 _"Of course it does!"_ Robin yelled, her voice quieter due to her distance from the snail. _"You weren't there on Ohara 20 years ago! You don't know what you've done! If you don't take it back, the Navy will completely destroy Enies Lobby and everyone on it until nothing is left! Cancel it!"_

 _"I can't just cancel the Buster Call! That would make me the laughing stock of Marine Headquarters and my promotion's at stake here!"_

 _"Thousands of people will die!"_

 _"Who gives a shit?!"_ Spandam laughed. _"If we need to kill 100 people for the greater good, CP9 will slaughter them without a second thought! Who cares if a couple thousand people die in the Buster Call as long as you are arrested and the pirates killed? Wahahaha!"_

 _"The snail is still on,"_ Robin observed.

 _"What?!"_ Spandam squeaked. _"Uhh, this is Straw Hat Luffy!"_

 _"Everybody run!"_ Robin shouted again.

 _"Shut up!"_ Spandam yelled before the snail suddenly shut off.

"That bastard," Gin growled, electric sparks flying off him.

"I'll admit that our boss is a clumsy idiot," Khalifa agreed, "but it doesn't matter at the moment because you two are going to die long before the Buster Call even gets here."

"Sorry, woman," Gin spat. "We aren't dying here. We've got a comrade to save and dreams to fulfill."

RAAAAWWR!

"What is that?!" Gin gasped, the whole room shaking. The outside wall began to crack until a giant hand smashed through, forcing the CP9 agent to jump away. The hand, which was covered in long brown fur except for the black fingers that were as long as Gin was tall, pulled back and ripped stone out of the wall to make the hole bigger. In doing to, the creature revealed its upper half.

It was massive, easily over 50 feet tall, with brown fur hanging from almost every part of its body. The head was vaguely reindeer-ish in structure with a blue nose. Atop its head was an oversized version of the hat Chopper always wore with giant antlers shooting out of two bases. Its eyes were a glowing blue, shadowed by the hat as they swept across the room. Without thinking, the beast tossed Kumadori, who had been bloody and unconscious in its right hand, over its shoulder.

"RAAAAWWR," it shouted, one hand moving forward to grab more stone from the walls.

"Chopper?!" Nami and Gin gasped at the same time, the navigator focused on the blue nose while Gin's eyes were on the hat.

"Kumadori," Khalifa hissed as her eyes followed the path of the unconscious man. "There goes one of our aces."

"RAAAAWWR!" Reaching in, the monster that had to be Chopper ripped the water-filled bathtub up out of the floor and threw it, forcing Gin to grab Nami and dive away before it took them with it on a fall through the center of the tower. The beast roared again and clambered through the hole, ignoring Khalifa and her attacks as it crawled to the center of the tower.

"Shit!" Gin cursed. "Sanji and Amy are down there!"

"Chopper!" Nami yelled, dragging the beast's attention to her and the lightning-man. There was no spark of recognition in the monster's eyes as it swung at them. Gin grabbed the orange-haired girl and dodged again. The monster seemed to lose interest as he crawled the rest of the way into the tower.

"Gin," Nami whispered so as to not alert their opponent who was still focused on the beast that was, most likely, their crewmate. "My leg is back to normal. Some water got on it when Chopper threw that bathtub. You need to get me to those busted pipes over there."

"Right," the Devil Fruit user nodded. Dashing toward the broken plumbing.

"Ah ah ah," Khalifa tsked, using Shave to intercept them. "I'll admit, you pirates are the oddest assortment of monsters I've ever met, but I'm not going to let you undo the gift I've given. That's just rude."

"1000 Watt Kick!" Gin yelled, his right leg sparking with electricity as he brought it up in a roundhouse kick. Khalifa brought her own leg up, covering it in a layer of soap just before impact. The coating, however, did little to counteract the electric shock that passed through her system. Shoving her away while she couldn't counter, Gin ran forward to reach the point where droplets from the busted plumbing fell on the navigator and began to wash away the effects of the woman's bubbles.

"You pirates are so aggravating," Khalifa scowled. Gin set Nami on the floor and dashed forward to engage the agent in a flurry of armed martial arts. Despite Khalifa being faster than Gin by a long shot, she was still unable to directly touch him due to an electric charge dancing along his skin, making any use of Iron Body or Finger Pistol a bad idea. He could also fire into the air, making Moonwalk nothing but a time waster. She jumped back, putting distance between them. "Tempest Kick!"

"Not gonna work," Gin taunted, the attack bisecting him only for his torso to fuse back together. "Spinning Death: 3000 Watt Slam!"

"Bubble Sheep: Calming Bubbles!" Despite the wave of dangerous bubbles, Gin continued the charge forward, the electricity on his skin popping any and all bubbles that made contact. Behind him, Nami had regained her form and was throwing Thunder Balls to back him up. Seeing that her first attack wasn't working, Khalifa launched a new one. "Bubble Tsunami!"

From behind her, Khalifa called forth a massive wave of Calming Bubbles that would most certainly engulf and subdue Gin if he was swept up. The man slowed, allowing Nami's Thunder Balls to pass him before reaching out with his power.

"Electric Net!" Using the charges in the Thunder Balls with just a little of his own, the lightning-man connected each of the Thunder Balls with several others, making a net, as the name implied. The combination attack collided with the bubble tsunami, causing an explosion of sorts. Gin rushed through, locking his tonfa behind the woman's head so it looked like he was hugging her.

"Got you," he smirked. The woman's eyes widened.

"Sexual harassment," she squeaked.

"Lightning Rod Tempo!" Nami yelled, calling forth another bolt of lightning. It struck her crewmate, passing through him and into the opponent who screamed in pain before passing out. Steam rose from Khalifa's open mouth as Gin dropped her.

 **Nami and Gin vs. Khalifa**  
 **Winners: Nami and Gin**

* * *

 **Zoro, Usopp, Coby, and Grace**

 **Earlier**

"Tempest Kick: Sky Slicer!"

"Duck!" Zoro yelled, tackling Usopp as Coby pulled Grace down with him. Kaku's attack pulsed out as a circle of pure cutting power, slicing the Tower of Law in half diagonally. With a groan, the top half of the tower slid downward, revealing the sky over half of the room.

"What the Hell, you long-necked moron!" Jabra shouted, fading into view as he Shaved to Kaku's side. "You cut the entire tower in half!"

"I don't want to hear anything from a dog like you," Kaku responded coldly.

"Why, you!"

"Hey, bitch!" Coby's insult hit home, freezing the wolf-man instantly.

"...What did you just call me?" he growled, literally. Next to him, Kaku laughed, only for Zoro to pounce on him.

"I called you a bitch, dog-man!" Coby shouted, changing into his Hybrid Mode. "They should have you neutered!"

"Shave! Finger Pistol!" In an instant, the enraged agent was on top of the Ancient Zoan, his hands a blur as he tried to stab the teen with his claws. Said claws clashed with Coby's Sabaku no Kiba, ringing.

"Take this!" Grace shouted, popping up from behind Coby. "Colors Trap: Bullfight Red!"

"My eyes!" Jabra fell back from the surprise attack, rubbing the red paint out of his eye sockets. "You bitch! Shave! Finger Pistol!"

"Where'd he go?" Coby asked, looking for the wolf that had vanished.

"Damn it!" Even Zoro and Kaku stopped their fight, looking around to find the source of the angry shout. The source was Jabra in the corner, continuously hitting a red design. "What the Hell did you do to me?!"

"You idiot!" Kaku laughed. "What are you doing?!"

"Shut up and help me, you moron!"

"I don't think I will."

"You stupid, giraffe bastard!"

"Giraffes are awesome!"

"Colors Trap: Sadness Blue."

"Dear Goda, I suck," Jabra cried in the wake of Grace's latest attack. "I'm not the alpha of the pack. I'm weaker than a damn cat. I don't deserve to even eat dirt."

"Ha! That's the best thing I've seen all week!" Kaku laughed as Grace pulled Jabra's key out of the man's pocket. "If you all weren't pirates, I would thank every one of you."

"Special Attack!" Usopp yelled, finally coming out of hiding from behind the door. "Handcuff Surprise!" Usopp had relieved an open safe of its four Sea Prism Stone restraints, one of them now being used as a projectile fired toward Kaku. The Man-Beast agent jump-kicked them aside toward the pirate Zoan. Coby wasn't fast enough to avoid the cuffs and they smacked him in the face, catching on one of his horns for prolonged exposure.

"Ow," Coby moaned, the Sea Prism in the cuffs draining his energy as they sat on his face and turned him human. Grace sighed, walking over to remove the restrains from her comrade and lock them on the wolf-man's wrists. Jabra sunk deeper into his chemical-induced depression, losing his wolf transformation.

BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP...

Reaching into his pocket, Kaku removed a transponder snail with a black shell and hat. He clicked it on.

 _"This is the snail I was looking for!"_ Spandam's voice cried from the snail.

 _"You idiot!"_ Robin's voice cried. "Do you even know what you've done?!"

 _"Of course I do!_ " Spandam replied with fake confidence. _"I pressed the button on the golden transponder snail... I triggered a Buster Call!"_

 _"Everybody run!"_ Robin cried. _"If you stay here, you'll die! Run away!"_

 _"Shut up, you bitch!"_ Spandam shouted followed by the sound of the man punching the woman. _"Don't tell them things they don't need to know! So I pushed the button by accident. It doesn't matter!"_

 _"Of course it does!"_ Robin yelled, her voice quieter due to her distance from the snail. _"You weren't there on Ohara 20 years ago! You don't know what you've done! If you don't take it back, the Navy will completely destroy Enies Lobby and everyone on it until nothing is left! Cancel it!"_

 _"I can't just cancel the Buster Call! That would make me the laughing stock of Marine Headquarters and my promotion's at stake here!"_

 _"Thousands of people will die!"_

 _"Who gives a shit?!"_ Spandam laughed. _"If we need to kill 100 people for the greater good, CP9 will slaughter them without a second thought! Who cares if a couple thousand people die in the Buster Call as long as you are arrested and the pirates killed? Wahahaha!"_

 _"The snail is still on,"_ Robin observed.

 _"What?!"_ Spandam squeaked. _"Uhh, this is Straw Hat Luffy!"_

 _"Everybody run!"_ Robin shouted again.

 _"Shut up!"_ Spandam yelled before the snail suddenly shut off.

"That moron!" Kaku groaned, trying to rub his face in irritation. He failed, his arms only reaching the middle of his neck. "Now let's look at the situation here." He sat down and undid his transformation, confusing the pirates he was supposed to be fighting.

"My fellow agent is incapacitated." -Jabra groaned something about cats from his corner.- "I'm in a four-on-one fight including a man that can match me in swordplay." -Zoro nodded, a smirk on his face.- "The Tower of Law where we are fighting is falling apart."

"A big part of that is your fault," Coby pointed out.

"And finally, my moronic 'commander' has triggered a Buster Call on Enies Lobby. Everything is stacked against me. How could this get any worse?"

Of course, as all of you lovely readers know, that question was and is cursed in every universe in which it has been uttered.

RAAAAWWR!

"What was that?" Usopp trembled, clutching onto the back of Zoro's clothing. The wall around the doors exploded inward, thrown away by a giant, furred hand. Heavy panting could be heard, great puffs of air rippling through the dust.

"What the Hell?" Zoro and Coby shouted in sync.

"Is that yours?" Grace screamed.

"No!" Kaku yelled back, just as scared as the pirates. "I thought is was yours!"

"Chopper!" Zoro realized, his eyes resting on the beast's hat. "What the Hell did he do?!"

"RAAAAWWR!" Apparently tired of the little maggots making noise, the giant Chopper stepped into the room and swung. Coby and Grace dove out of the way as the hand kept moving to smash into the outside wall. I huge hole developed, not helping the structural security of the building in any way. The monster took another couple of steps into the room and swung at Kaku who dodged with Shave. Jabra, however, couldn't have moved of he'd wanted to. He was hit dead on and launched out into the hallway. The force of the hit shattered the handcuffs on his wrists, leaving them behind in a terrible parody of "knocking someone's socks off" as the wolf-man disappeared.

"Everyone move!" Franky shouted, running into the room as he locked his T-bar in place between his arms.

"What are you doing?!" Coby demanded, running at the cyborg to stop him as he took aim at the out-of-control reindeer.

"Coup de Vent!" Coby didn't make it before the shipwright fired, the blast of air throwing Chopper's Monster Point out of the hole and down toward the ocean below.

"You bastard!" Usopp screamed.

"Stop it, guys!" Nami ordered, entering the room with Gin as Franky dove out of the hole. "We came up with this plan!"

"We'll talk later!" Zoro growled. "We still have a fight to finish!"

"No, you don't," Kaku sighed, his key landing in the grass in front of the green-haired man.

"You're surrendering?" Coby asked, his twin swords lowering.

"But I still have a new technique I wanted to test against you," Zoro muttered childishly.

"I'm outgunned, outmanned, outnumbered, outplanned, and running out of time," Kaku responded. "I just have one request. Fulfill that, and I'll lead you all to the Gates of Justice and Nico Robin."

"And what is it you want?" Gin prodded. Kaku locked eyes with him.

"Help me like you are going to help Nico Robin. Take me away from here."

 **End of Chapter 79**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	80. The Buster Call

**First of all, a big ol' THANK YOU to all my readers who Reviewed the last chapter. Y'all broke the "most Reviews for a single chapter" record, totaling 26 Reviews in all!**

 **Second, and this might be disappointing, but Kaku will NOT be joining the crew...**

 **...yet.**

 **He will return and, yes, I have plans for him, but he will not become a Straw Hat for a good while. He is not the member to join this Arc. There will be two, one being Franky, but Kaku is not the other. To elaborate, Kaku was asking them to take him from the Government, not join their crew. I'm quite sorry for the misunderstanding.**

 **Finally, _Coby's Choice_ might have to go on a brief Hiatus at the end of this Arc. Thriller Bark is almost 65% complete, but it's not flowing as well as I'd hoped it would and it gets harder to write the more changes that I make. I hope you all will be patient with me seeing as I am a busy college student who just got a girlfriend (not that I'm complaining about that last one).**

 **Also, I still have some Omakes and a Bonus Chapter typed up. What do y'all this I should do with them: post them before the Hiatus or hold on to them?**

 **Now enough of my rambling. On to the chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 80:**  
 **The Buster Call**

 _"You're surrendering?" Coby asked, his twin swords lowering._

 _"I'm outgunned, outmanned, outnumbered, outplanned, and running out of time," Kaku responded. "I just have one request. Fulfill that, and I'll lead you all to the Gates of Justice and Nico Robin."_

 _"And what is it you want?" Gin prodded. Kaku locked eyes with him._

 _"Help me like you are going to help Nico Robin. Take me away from here."_

"What?" Zoro blinked. "I'm sorry, I could have sworn I heard you say that you wanted us to take you with us."

"That's exactly what I'm asking for," Kaku nodded. "After being with Galley-La for five years, this whole CP9 stuff just doesn't groove with me, you know? I liked the people there more. They were friendly and easy to work with. Here? Not so much." He gestured toward the hole that Jabra had been launched out of. "Jabra may have been the worst, but the others can be pretty damn annoying."

"If people see you leaving," Coby put in, "you'll be deemed a traitor of the Marines. You'll have a bounty on your head."

"Then it's a good thing I'm being kidnapped by a bunch of bloodthirsty pirates and not running, isn't it?" He held out his hands for Usopp to cuff him.

"I like the way you think," Zoro nodded once the cuffs were secure. The man was obviously tired, but he stood strong. "Now, you mentioned leading the way?"

"There's a secret passageway that goes under the ocean to reach the Gates of Justice. It also has a combination lock for an iron door."

"I doubt we'll have to deal with that," Coby waved off. "Captain Luffy went ahead to find and save Robin. He's probably found the passageway through force and left a trail of destruction."

"Sounds like Luffy, all right," Nami nodded.

"We're here!" Sanji and Amy yelled, the former flipping into the room and the latter zooming in with the use of her parasol.

"Never fear!" Sanji declared. "I have arrived to save the day for my beautiful melorines!"

"You're late, Curly Brow," Zoro laughed.

"What'd you say, Moss Head?!"

"Not now!" Coby shouted, pointing out of the hole in the wall where the Gates of Justice could just be seen through the mist. "We don't have time for this! The doors are opening!"

"Lets go, then!" Kaku urged. With a nod from everyone but Sanji and Amy, the crew followed the now-former government agent. The chef and chocolatier shrugged and followed.

"The entrance is hidden as a box in the back of the building," Kaku explained as the group ran. "It'll lead to a ladder that goes down 50 feet before becoming a straight shot. Then- Iron Body!"

Kaku cut himself off, raising his arms over his chest as Jabra appeared, his claws trying the stab into the other six-powers master. The wolf-man's clothes were torn, the paint Grace had put there smudged and useless.

"You turning traitor on us?" Jabra demanded, backflipping away to stand in front of the group. "I knew you could never trust a giraffe."

"For the last time, giraffes are awesome!"

"Yeah!" Coby added. "Go hump a fire hydrant until you huff and puff and blow your-!"

"Calm down, Shrimp," Zoro ordered.

"Sorry."

"I appreciate the gesture, Little Man," Kaku smiled. "That was clever."

"I don't know who this clown is," Sanji announced, walking to the front of the group with a lit cigarette and ignoring the angered growling of the wolf-man. "I don't really care, either. He's an enemy and I haven't gotten to have a real fight yet. Leave him to me."

"Do you want back-up?" Amy questioned.

"Nah," Sanji waved off. "Get going and go save Robin." Despite Kaku looking skeptical, the group jumped the railing, each finding their own safe landing somehow. Sanji stayed with Jabra, never breaking eye contact.

"Alright, Kibbles," Sanji grunted, puffing out a cloud of smoke. "Let's dance."

* * *

"Are you sure about that?" Kaku asked, the group following the hallway toward the kitchen. "As much as I don't like him, beating Jabra isn't going to be a walk in the park."

"Sanji-kun is one of our Monster Trio," Nami answered. "There's no way he'll lose to an animal."

"Thanks," Coby groaned in his Dino Mode with Grace on his back, the girl leaving a trail of paint for Sanji to follow. "Just put down all us Zoans, why don't you?"

"Shut up!" Nami whacked the dinosaur over the head with her weapon.

"Ow!" Coby whined as Grace giggled at him. Amy's hooked umbrella base choked Zoro and he tried to take a right.

"I'm starting to see why your'all's ship loved you so much."

"I think you mean we loved our ship," Amy corrected.

"No," Kaku denied as he took a turn. Nami grabbed Zoro's collar as he turned around. "I mean your ship loved you. She was alive."

"What do you mean, she was alive?" Gin demanded, stopping Zoro from talking a left.

"Y'all didn't know?" Kaku blinked. "That clever little fairy."

"Spit it out already!" Zoro yelled, now being literally dragged along via his pants leg by his student.

"Alright, alright," Kaku muttered, holding his hands up. "I'll start with the myth. So on Water 7, there's a popular story about klabautermanns, or Wood Fairies. The story says that a klabautermann is the spirit of a well-loved ship, born from the bonds of its crew. It's been said that if a klabautermann really loves their crew, then they'll show themselves with a human form to warn the crew of danger."

"What does this have to do with us?" Grace asked.

"Your ship had a klabautermann," Kaku responded. Usopp stopped, forcing the others to as well.

"What do you mean, had?" he demanded.

Kaku sighed and began moving again. "I didn't have a say in the matter. Franky had taken your ship as bait to lure out Straw Hat the night we attacked Iceberg. We ended up having to track him down to his base where he had stored your ship. After we captured Franky, Lucci decided to release your ship into Aqua Laguna. I think that's when I started questioning everything. I mean, there's being mean for a reason and then there's just cruel. I'm afraid there's no way your little caravel survived."

"No," Usopp stated, fury and determination burning in his eyes. "She's the one I saw that night in Skypia. I know that our Merry can tough it out through even the worst storms. But if she's free on the ocean..."

"Kaku?" Coby asked around the fabric of Zoro's pants, the swordsman scowling as he was pulled along. "Are there any stories about Wood Fairies fixing themselves or sailing themselves?"

"Not that I know of," Kaku replied. "The only reason I knew your ship had one was because Franky wouldn't stop crying about at after we took him prisoner."

"Merry is coming for us," Usopp said with absolute certainty. "I may be a liar, but I never lie about the Merry. If she's out there, she'll come for us."

"As great as it is that our ship is or was alive," Zoro grunted. "We have to save Robin before we leave."

"Right," Kaku nodded. "This way."

"We still have to save Robin," Amy muttered as they took off. "What happened to Luffy?"

"Lucci, I'd reckon," Kaku answered. "That cool cat was the one guarding Spandam and Nico Robin. If your captain caught up to them, then he's going toe-to-toe with the big guy right now. He may be kaput already; Lucci's the strongest member of CP9, after all."

"And Don Luffy is the strongest out of us," Gin replied. "The Don's gonna be the King of the Pirates. He can't lose."

"Good," Kaku nodded. "I'm not usually a betting man; that was Paulie's quirk, but if your captain loses and you all fail, I'll get court-marshaled and executed." The group ran out into the outdoors, an unobstructed view of the Gates of Justice showing them that they were almost open.

"Ow! What's up, guys?" Turning to their left, the pirates and defector found Franky and an unconscious and sopping-wet Chopper next to him. "Why is Kaku with you?!"

"He's our prisoner," Coby answered. The white lie would do for now. "Show us the secret passage, Long-Neck."

"It's over here," Kaku sighed, faking injury and lack of energy. He limped over to a box and knocked on the wood. Usopp walked over and opened the lid, revealing a ladder, just as Kaku had told them.

"You're going first," Amy smirked, pushing the former agent down the hole with a laugh at his surprised scream. "Kyahahaha!" The pirates and Franky followed, Zoro carrying Chopper. Reaching the bottom, they found a long hallway covered in grey metal. At the end was a large door that was ripped off its hinges and left dented on the floor.

"Yep," Coby chuckled at Kaku's and Franky's shocked faces. "Captain Luffy has definitely been here."

"Hurry up!" Nami ordered. Fearing her womanly strength, all of the men, including Kaku, took off. Nami and Amy followed behind while Grace was still using Coby as transportation. Finally, they reached a door at the end of the hallway.

Franky barged in first, coming to a complete stop within what seemed to be a storage room when something slammed into the wall to his left. The others slid next to the cyborg as Luffy pulled himself out of the crater in the wall.

"Captain Luffy!/Don Luffy!/Luffy!/Straw Hat!" The teen's various names mixed in a loud chorus of shouts.

"Go on ahead," Luffy grunted, not even stopping to greet his crew. "We're running out of time."

"Do you want some help?" Franky asked, readying a Weapons Left.

"No. This pigeon bastard is my opponent. Just get to Robin."

"My my," a human Lucci chuckled. "What have we here? Kaku, I'm disappointed. Captured by some snot-nosed brats?" Kaku lowered his eyes, feigning shame. "Well, I guess you'll be collateral. Tempest Kick!"

Zoro and Coby moved instantly, their five blades managing to destroy the flying slash.

"Oi, bastard!" Luffy shouted, pumping blood through his legs. His skin took on a pink hue and his body got hot enough to steam. In a flash, his hat was sitting on Nami's head, but the captain was in the same place. "Second Gear: Jet Pistol!"

"Gah!" Lucci went flying with a spray on blood from his mouth, crushing a couple of boxes. Luffy lowered his stance defensively.

"Don't you dare touch my Nakama or I will kill you. Go, guys!"

"I won't let you through," Lucci rumbled, his form twisting into that of a humanoid jaguar.

"Another guy with Devil Fruit powers?!" Franky gasped.

"Your fight is with me!" Luffy shouted, disappearing in a blur. Avoiding Lucci's attacks and Luffy's subsequent counterattacks, the group ran through the door on the far wall and into a stairwell.

"It's a straight shot up the stairs from here," Kaku informed the group. "Spandam doesn't like to play nice, though. I bet he's set a trap, just in case. He's always been a paranoid panda like that."

"Amy, use your powers to fly ahead," Nami ordered, trying to ignore the sounds of battle behind them. Without thinking, the navigator reached up and held her lover's hat. The blonde nodded and opened her parasol before activating the breath dials within. She rapidly floated up the stairs.

Reaching the top, Amy lowered herself to the floor of the bridge and viewed what was happening. Her eyes landed on Robin, her arms tied with a rope and her being literally dragged toward the fully-opened Gates of Justice by Spandam. Feeling rage fill her being, Amy took to the air again, charging the leader of CP9.

"Heavy Impact!" With little to no warning, Amy rammed herself into Spandam's back. The man coughed blood as his hold on Robin was forcefully released. Amy increased her mass, digging trenches into the concrete while skidding to a stop and watching Spandam crash. "Kyahahaha!"

"Ms. Valentine!" Robin gasped.

"Hello, Robin," Amy grinned, ignoring the shocked marines at the end of the bridge. "The others are on their way with all of the keys."

"Thank you," Robin cried, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you all."

"Shoot them!" Spandam yelled, pulling himself up. "Shoot them both to death without killing them!" The marines shot confused looks to each other, but raised their weapons all the same. Behind the pirates, the top of bridge entrance blew up, Franky flying out of it and falling into the ocean below. "Fire!"

"Dense Shield!" Amy retaliated, opening her umbrella and increasing its mass to the point where it was harder than a brick wall. The bullets bounced off of it with no effect.

"Gah!" A marine was caught by an explosion, the force blasting him backwards. Another marine was caught, and another and another.

"What's going on?!" Spandam demanded before he, too, was thrown backwards by an explosion.

"The cavalry has arrived," Amy smirked. "Kyahahaha! Kyahahaha!"

"Robin!" All of the rescue party, Luffy and Sanji being the exceptions, ran onto the bridge with Franky coming up from the side sopping wet. Usopp pulled ahead of the others and loaded his weapon.

"Special Attack: Sunflower Star!" Five exploding pellets impacted Spandam's face just as he was getting up. The pirates (and Franky) surrounded Robin, pushing Kaku in with her as Nami set to work finding the right key. She threw out the number 2 key since those handcuffs were put on Jabra before Chopper broke them, but Usopp had swiped the rest of the cuffs. The number 5 key, the one they got from Kaku, unlocked Robin's bindings.

"I'm free," Robin cried happily, hugging Nami. She went around the circle, hugging each person, even Kaku. Her hug lasted longer than the others when she hugged Zoro, but everyone else attributed that to the fact that the swordsman was carrying Chopper.

Sanji was going to flip when he learned that he missed a hug from Robin...

"We're glad to see you safe," Zoro grunted, a slight tilt of the ends of his mouth showing just how happy he was.

"I've been waiting a long time to do this," Robin smiled evily. "Seis Fleur: Slap!" Six arms grew out of Spandam's chest which began to smack him over and over again.

"Kyahahaha! That bastard deserves worse than that!"

"Call reinforcements!" Spandam yelled through his swollen jaw. "Get everyone you can on this bridge!" An explosion rocked the bridge, a section of the fence around Enies Lobby blown up. The Buster Call had arrived.

"This is a full-scale, indiscriminatory attack on the judicial island of Enies Lobby," someone announced over the loud speaker. "Our main targets are Straw Hat Luffy and his crew of approxemently 70 men. However, Nico Robin, who is on the Bridge of Hesitation, is not to be targeted by order of Admiral Aokiji. Begin by targeting the Tower of Law!"

Cannonballs rained down on the island, destroying everything in their path. It appeared that the marines running the Buster Call didn't know that the pirates had already freed Robin.

"No," Robin gasped, flashbacks of the Buster Call on Ohara filling her mind. She stepped back, away from the battleships, losing her footing and falling in fear. Zoro caught her, lowering her to sit on the bridge. Seeing her fear, he set Chopper in the woman's lap in the hopes that the unconscious doctor's fluffyness would provide some form of assistance.

"So... they've got a ship at the end of the bridge here," Franky commented. "That seems like our best chance of escape."

"We'll go for it," Nami agreed as Usopp picked up Robin's cuffs and stuffed them in his bag. "Still, we should wait for Sanji and Luffy. Plus Robin isn't in any state to run at the moment.

"Don't worry," Zoro grunted. "Gin, Shrimp, Franky, and I can hold off these marines just fine."

"I want to get in on this, too," Amy smirked.

Behind them, the bridge entrance was destroyed by a giant fist. The upper part of the building broke apart from the force like the top of a volcano, among the debris the form of the transformed Rob Lucci. The agent crashed onto a ship, something rocketing out of the building behind him. Far above the ship where Lucci had landed, Luffy pumped the air in his body from his Third Gear technique to his foot, the giant attack breaking the Marine battleship in half.

Lucci jumped away, using Moonwalk to get to another ship. Luffy followed him, breaking the second ship's mast with a punch in the hopes of shoving his foe into the sea. Lucci was smarter than to fall for that, however, and jumped above the the pirate with Moonwalk.

"Tempest Kick!" he called, his attack nearly cutting the pirate captain in two. The ship was not so fortunate as the slash cut through several layers. The ships around them, the other eight of the original ten still in commission, turned their guns and fired on the vessel. Parts of the Marine battleship exploded, the noise drowning out the cries of its dying crew.

"Those bastards!" Coby yelled as he watched the government men fire on their own just for a chance of killing a single pirate. "I'll make the man who gave that order burn in Hell!"

"Not so fast, Shrimp," Zoro ordered, placing a hand on his protege's shoulder. "Our first priority is protecting Robin."

"I-!" Coby stopped. "Right. Sorry, Zoro-sensei."

"What are you morons waiting for?!" Spandam yelled, his finger pointing at the group of pirates and company. "Kill them all!"

 **End of Chapter 80**

* * *

 **High Seas Hijinks:**  
 **Devil Fruit Dilemmas**

(Takes place after Skypia)

"Hey, Gin?" Usopp asked, putting away his half-deconstructed chemistry set and glancing at the Devil Fruit user. "I've been meaning to ask you, but how do you make lightning out of nothing?"

"What do you mean?" Gin responded, replacing his rubber-lined headband after a training session

"Well, technically, you shouldn't be able to create something from nothing. That doesn't make any sense."

"Usopp," the Logia deadpanned. "We sail under a man made of rubber in a sea that defies the laws of nature on a daily basis. Who cares about sense?"

"Still," Usopp argued. "The first law of alchemy says that matter cannot be created or destroyed. Similarly, neither can energy."

"No offence, Usopp, but you're a sniper from a small island in the East Blue. Where did you learn anything about the laws of alchemy? ...What's alchemy?"

"Alchemy is basically the total of all theories about how to turn one thing into another."

"What's this about theories?" Chopper questioned, jumping into the conversation.

"Usopp's trying to make sense out of something that doesn't make sense."

"Gin's Devil Fruit's logic," the sniper supplied.

"Oh!" Chopper blinked. "I actually have plenty of theories of my own, mostly for Logias and Zoans since Paramicias are all different."

"Fine," Gin sighed. "Go ahead."

"So Logias are said to be able to make their elements out of essentially nothing, right?" Usopp and Gin nodded. "But that doesn't make sense since you shouldn't be able to make something out of nothing-"

"That's what I said!"

"-so I think that they are transmuting things into their element."

"Transmuting?" the resident Logia asked.

"Transmutation," Usopp offered. "It's the theory of turning one element into another. Most commonly iron into gold."

"Yeah," Chopper nodded. "My theory says that the nutrients in the food that Logias eat are only used for the bare minimum to keep them healthy and that any excess is transmuted and stored as the element in question. In your case, Gin, the calories in your food, which is usually turned into only a little electrical energy to control the nervous system, are all turned into electricity and stored in your body, which is why you started eating more food since you got your Fruit."

"But what about when I'm wearing my headband? The rubber there is supposed to force me into a fully-human body whenever I'm in contact with it."

"Rubber can only do so much to counteract your powers," Chopper responded. "At your base, you are now made of lightning, so all that energy would be stored in your brain or nervous system, serving its normal purpose until you release it."

"Really?" Gin blinked. "That's it?"

"Well, you could be picking up ambient static electricity from the air, but your rubber headband probably counteracts any source of electricity from entering you through your skin. In the end, if my theory is correct, then no Logia would have an unlimited amount of their element and they would need to eat to replenish their supply."

"...I guess that makes sense," Gin conceded, "but what about Zoans? Or Amy, for that matter? (pun not intended) You and Coby get heavier when you change forms, so aren't you changing your masses?"

"Again, transmutation," Chopper answered. "Our powers not only affect our bodies, but the clothes we are wearing as well. This means that there must be at least a small area of effect for Zoan powers. And, when we transform, the air around us doesn't become pressurized. My theory for Zoans is that we transmute the air around us into the mass our transformations add and vise versa.

"If I'm right, Amy's powers would be the same way. On average, the air pressure at the surface is one Atmosphere or 1.01325X10^5 Pascals, meaning that there are literally billions of kilograms of air weighing down on us at any one time, so even 10,000 kilograms of air being converted into human mass wouldn't make any difference in the local atmospheric pressure. The converse is also true. Since the created air from Amy lowering her mass is ejected from her entire body rather than in one direction, the only way we could measure it would be if she was locked in an airtight room for testing purposes!"

The doctor turned to his two crewmates, expecting them to be nodding along, but if anything, they seemed to be nodding off. Both Gin and Usopp had gained a far-off look in their eyes at they stared off into space. Chopper's scientific rant had gone straight over their heads.

"Well," Gin blinked, coming out of his daze. "I'm hungry. What do you say we just call Devil Fruit powers a mystery and leave it at that?"

"Fine with me," Usopp responded with a shrug.

"Hey!" Chopper cried, scandalized.

"It doesn't matter anyway," Gin shrugged. "It's not like anyone really cares. I mean, who'd care about the specifics of our world? It's not like anyone would need to make their own theories about our powers because they're writing a story about us or anything. ...Right?"

 **Fin**

 **Note: all Devil Fruit bullshit is my own headcanon from my thoughts as a science/math major in college, however, this was my reasoning for how Gin beat Eneru (Eneru having used up his ready supply of electricity by the time they fought.).**

* * *

 **Again, thank you all so much for the support I've gotten. I hope you all will be patient with me. Be sure to check you the A/N announcements at the top and, as always,**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	81. Merry's Lament!

**Chapter 81:**

 **Merry's Lament! Her End as a Ship**

"Ugh," Oimo groaned, the ever-blue sky swimming into his vision. His hearing came to a second later, but it was not pretty. Explosions, the like of which he had not heard in over 100 years, sent tremors through the ground he was lying on. With a grunt, Oimo pushed himself into a sitting position.

Nearly every building around him was broken or altogether gone, hinting at the destruction that must plague the rest of the island. Shaking his head, the giant spotted his Kashi next to him, a little burnt and tied up. Grabbing Kashi's sword, Oimo cut his fellow giant free before proceeding to smack him awake.

"Oi! Kashi! Get up!" Kashi rolled over, pushing himself onto all fours before coughing up was little remained of his dinner from that evening.

"My insides feel like we had a run in with that electric Sea King Jofur," Kashi coughed. "What happened?"

"Those pirates got past us and into Enies Lobby," Oimo admitted. "We've failed, Kashi. We won't get our captains back."

"Damn it!" Kashi growled, rolling back onto his back. "50 years for naught."

"Run away!" several smaller voices cried, growing louder by the second. "That idiot called a Buster Call! Enies Lobby is done for! Run!"

"Hmm?" the giants hummed, turning to see the Franky Family and the foremen of Galley-La running as fast as they could while still carrying the wounded Gammorah.

"Oh damn!" one of them yelled. "It's those giants!"

"Leave them!" Zanbai ordered. "We don't have time!"

"Nagagaga!" Granny Kokoro laughed, Chimney and Gonbe on her shoulders and a bottle of alcohol in her hand. "Keep runnin', boys! The marines is gonna destroy the island! Nagagaga!"

"Wait a second," Oimo muttered. "Did he say 'Buster Call'?" The two giants glanced at each other, sharing a silent, panicked conversation as the rest of the Franky Family ran between them. As one, the giants started running after them.

"Wait! Take us with you!"

* * *

"This'll do," Nami nodded, finishing her inspection of the ship the group had hijacked. Spandam and his men were either unconscious on the bridge or, more likely, in the water below, all of them having been no match for the Straw Hats. Five of the remaining eight battleships were still within eyesight, firing on Enies Lobby. The other three had sailed around toward the front of the island.

"This is a report from ship 2!" a man called over the loudspeakers. "All Marine personnel have been evacuated and identified or are presumed dead. Also, we have identified about 60 pirates and the two giants at the front of the island."

"Hey," Franky smirked. "That'll be Zanbai and the others."

"Galley-La, too," Gin put in.

"And Granny Kokoro," Nami added.

"We fired on them," the man continued. "All 60 are presumed dead. The Tower of Law, the courthouse, and bridge connecting them are no more. The only target left is the Bridge of Hesitation."

"No!" Franky wailed, falling to his knees. The pirates didn't blame him; all of his friends were in that group. "No!"

"How can they kill without a second thought?" Grace cried.

"We can mourn them later," Zoro stated, hardening his heart for the time being. "We can't afford to break down now. We need to be ready to leave when Luffy and the cook get here."

"How are we going to get to Sanji?" Coby asked, forcing his eyes to not release their tears. "He was still in the Tower of Law last we saw him."

"Don't forget about our baby den-dens," Amy reminded him. Raising her wrist, she woke her snail and hoped the chef would answer.

"Hello?" A relieved sigh passed through the group at the sound of Sanji's voice. He sounded beat up and his breathing was ragged, but he was alive.

"Sanji!" Amy yelled into the snail to be heard over the cannonfire. "Where are you?!"

"I'm outside the Tower of Law!" Sanji shouted. "The passageway is flooded!"

"Stay put!" Nami ordered. "We stole a Marine ship! We'll come get you when we take off!"

"Hurry! I'm not sure how long I can deflect these cannonballs until they spot me!" The snail clicked off.

"Then it's just Captain Luffy we're waiting for," Coby finalized. "We'll have to hold out here."

"No," Zoro denied. "We'll fight on the bridge. That'll give us more room. The battleships are turning this way. Remember, Luffy lifted the ban on killing, so don't hold back." With a nod between them, Zoro, Coby, Gin, Franky, Amy, and a reluctant Usopp dashed up the steps. The remaining eight ships had converged on the bridge, a cannonball breaking the first half of the structure.

"The building where Straw Hat Luffy and Lob Lucci of CP9 are fighting has been separated from the rest of the Bridge of Hesitation!" the loudspeakers announced. "A total of ten pirates have been confirmed on the bridge including Pirate Hunter Zoro, Devil-Child Nico Robin, Man-Demon Gin, and Tri-Horn Coby! All marines of rank Captain and above, prepare to attack!"

"Hey, Gin!" Zoro called as the main fighter group reached the top of the stairs. "You wanna lighten the load?"

"With pleasure!" the Logia cackled as he let a little bit of his control over his rage slip, electricity building up between his tonfa. He turned toward the nearest ship and let loose. "500 Million Watt Lightning Shot!" A ball of pure electrical energy the same height of its creator shot out, slamming into the side of the battleship. The ship was engulfed in light before exploding, the sinking ship taking those unlucky enough to survive the explosion to a watery grave as it sank.

"Mmm," Amy hummed, licking her lips. "Now that was hot." Gin smirked back at her.

"There's more where that came from, Sweetheart!" Gin panted.

"Flirting now of all times?!" Coby yelled as the remaining 1,400 captains and commanders jumped off the battleships. He and his teacher moved so they were back-to-back.

"Three Sword Style..." Zoro began.

"Two Sword Style..." Coby followed.

"Dragon Twister!" They yelled together, their combined attack blowing more opponents out of the air than either one could do separately. With matching smirks, the two swordsmen split in opposite directions.

"Weapons Left!" Franky shouted, blasting a quartet of captains out of the air.

"Special Attack: Sunflower Star!" Usopp called from Franky's other side, his attack beating five enemies.

"Heavy Impact!" Amy cried from the air, throwing marines into the ocean with her momentum. It was apparent that these men were not able to use Moonwalk like CP9 could, so throwing them away was child's play. Once all of the marines were either in the ocean or on the bridge, the battlefield and her attacks changed. "10,000 kilogram Press!" The section of the bridge seemed to give way underneath her weight, crumbling into the water below and taking many marines with it.

"Spinning Death: Electrocution!" Gin shouted, zapping forward into the largest clump of marines. Thunder rolled out from wherever his tonfa made contact, his foes falling one after another with blackened faces and burnt clothing. Only a the strongest of them still had a beating heart.

A portion of the marines ran toward the steps, but Nami and Grace had it handled if the flashes of light and random laughter were of any indication. The pained screaming and sounds of bone snapping may have also indicated that Robin was doing her fair share as well, leaving Chopper and Kaku on the ship.

"You must be Roranoa Zoro," a man in Marine-themed, Arabic-like clothing stated as he calmly approached the man unarmed.

"What's it to you?" Zoro responded coldly, readying his weapons.

"I'm here to defeat you." Having had enough talk, Zoro launched forward, Yubashiri posed to cut the man in two. The weapon never did, the marine catching the weapon before it could. From the points of contact, rust covered the blade. With his eyes widening, Zoro pulled away from the man as his sword's blade fell apart.

"Yubashiri, no."

"I am a man that ate the Rust-Rust Fruit," the marine taunted. "No swordsman could hope to beat me!" The rust-man was right: it wasn't a swordsman that beat him.

"Firebird Star!" Usopp's surprise attack caught the Devil Fruit user in the side, blasting him away from the green-haired pirate and into the ocean. Off to the side, the tower where Luffy and Lucci had been fighting exploded.

"Th-this is an urgent report!" the marine on the loudspeakers shouted. "Just now, Rob Lucci of CP9 was seen lying face down in a pool of blood! He's been defeated by Straw Hat Luffy!"

"Yeah!" the pirates celebrated, Nami happily cradling Luffy's hat.

"Usopp," Zoro called. "Go make sure Luffy gets his ass back here!"

"Right!" Ducking around stunned marines, the sniper ended up with a clear view of the battlefield their captain had been fighting on. "Luffy! Come on!"

"I can't move!" Luffy gasped, his chest heaving with each breath. "I need you to pull me up!"

"I've got your back, Usopp!" Coby shouted, throwing away three men that had tried to sneak up on the man. "Get our captain!"

"Usopp Grappling Hook!" Swinging said hook over his head like a lasso, Usopp proved his worth by making a clean shot, the rope and hook wrapping around Luffy's torso. The sniper passed the line to Coby with the order to pull Luffy back up. Coby nodded and changed into his Dino Mode, taking the rope in his mouth to barrel through any marines who tried to stand in their way. Luffy seemed to skip across the water as the rope pulled at him. The sound of a struggle flowed over the loudspeakers.

"I gotcha, Luffy," Usopp finally stated as the rubber-man reached the top of the bridge.

"Straw Hat!" a familiar voice shouted over the speakers. "Big Bro! We're alive!"

"Shut up!" another recognizable voice chastised. "You'll tip off the Marines!"

"Who gives a damn?! Not the Franky Family!"

"They're alive!" Franky cried happily, wiping the tears out on his eyes from hearing Zanbai and the others over the loudspeaker before the communication was shut down. "I'm not crying!" he denied, his flailing left arm knocking a trio of marines off of the bridge. "You're crying!"

"Everyone get to the ship!" Nami shouted. Her order went unfulfilled, however, as their escape plan went up in flames. The Marines had fired on the ship. "No! Chopper!" Grabbing both Robin and Nami's arms, Grace all but dragged them back toward their friends and away from the now-burning ship.

Following the ship in destruction were the third and fourth bridge supports as they crumbled just after the trio of female pirates made it to the next pillar in the series, the Captains left behind falling into the ocean below with the debris. Only the second pillar was left to hold all of the Straw Hats on the bridge. Kaku landed next to them after using Moonwalk to escape the burning ship, Chopper in his arms.

"Now what?" Franky questioned, his open left arm aimed at a battleship. "That ship was our only way out!"

"All battleships, prepare to fire on support column two!"

"This doesn't look good," Coby growled.

BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP...

"Sanji!" Gin yelled into the snail. "Please tell me you have a miracle!"

"I do!" Sanji responded. "Jump into the sea! Trust me!"

"You all heard him!" Gin shouted, too out-of-options to question the suicidal action. "Jump!" Taking a leap of faith, the pirates, Franky, and Kaku jumped off the side of the column just as several cannonballs crashed into it. Looking down, they were shocked to see a very familiar vessel, their chef waving at them with a little girl in a white raincoat with the hood pulled up. Though beaten up, the ship was undoubtedly the Going Merry.

"Get on!" the little girl called as they fell. "I'll get you out one more time!"

"Merry!" Usopp cried happily. The outlaws landed on the deck with a thump, Franky falling through the floorboards and into the men's quarters. Under her own command, the Going Merry lurched forward to avoid the falling debris of the last pieces of the Bridge of Hesitation. Zoro and Sanji set to work breaking up any chunks that threatened their escape while Gin moved to where he could see the most Marine ships off the bow.

"This'll do me in!" he yelled back toward his crew. "Again, 500 Million Watt Lightning Shot!" The attack destroyed the fronts of the two closest government vessels, the sinking war machines impeding some of the others from reaching the pirates. The war ships that could target them fired, but the Going Merry was too small and agile for the bulky battleships to catch. She sailed like a ship possessed.

Robin calmly walked to the back of the ship to stand next to that unconscious form of Gin, making eye contact with Spandam as he glared at her from one of the whole battleships. She silently raised her arms and used her powers to snap the man's spine in two without batting an eye. His cry was music to the pirates' ears.

The Going Merry and the Straw Hat Pirates had escaped the Marines and survived the Buster Call.

* * *

"We did it," Luffy smiled from his captain's seat a couple hours later, his hat returned to him by his girlfriend. Water 7 was visible on the horizon and they had received word that Galley-La and the Franky Family had hijacked the Puffing Tom to get away from the island. "We actually did it." Luffy pulled himself up into a sitting position, despite his protesting muscles, to gaze on the scene of the deck. Oddly enough, Coby and their "prisoner" were standing next to each other, an arm around each other's shoulders. Why that was, Luffy hadn't a clue, but he didn't care either.

The crew plus two were gathered around the little girl in the white raincoat, Sanji having introduced her as the spirit of the Going Merry, but she refused to lower her hood. Apparently, she had sailed the ship, herself, all the way to Enies Lobby through Aqua Laguna to rescue them. Her plan had been to try to keep herself hidden with the assumption that all of the crew would be together when she picked them up, but when she'd had to get Sanji beforehand, then there was no point in hiding anymore. Of the crew, it was Usopp's smile that shone the brightest.

The sounds of people yelling pulled at Luffy's attention, alerting him to the galleon full of people that had come to meet them. Among these people were the Franky Family, the Galley-La shipwrights, and Iceberg himself.

"Ice-Pops!" Luffy shouted, alerting the other people to their visitors. Merry faded away, releasing her physical form. "Hey! We're back!"

"So I can see!" Iceberg yelled back.

"I'm sorry," Merry whispered before the wood groaned. "I can't go any farther." The Going Merry split down the middle, her figurehead moving to look like she was bowing to the other ship.

"Merry!" the crew cried, those nearer the front scrambling to find something to hold onto. "What's wrong?!"

"She's done," Iceberg announced. "She can't go on any more. You have to let her rest."

"No!" Luffy shouted, stretching to hold the figurehead in one hand and the mast in the other. "Merry's alive! We aren't going to just abandon her!"

"She's a ship!" Iceberg shouted back. "You can't sail her. She's already falling apart!"

"Tow us in!" Luffy ordered. "Tow us in!"

"There's nothing I can do to repair your ship!"

"We don't need her as a ship!" Everyone froze at Luffy's words, Iceberg included. "We need you to help us bring her back as a person! Franky called her a Wood Fairy! Can you do something with that?!"

"Captain," Merry's voice whispered. "You don't have to-"

"I said that you were going to come with us to the end of our adventure!" Luffy interrupted, speaking directly toward the deck and the crack therein below him. "I said that in Skypia! If you aren't going to come with us as a ship, then you'll come with us as a crewmate!"

And as the shipwrights of Galley-La watched, the breaking ship defied the laws of physics. Tears fell from her wooden eyes and the bow of the ship began to pull itself back up, ropes from the rigging shooting down to wrap around the railing and pull taught. Slowly, ever so slowly, the gap in the deck closed.

"I only have to make it to the shore," Merry panted, loud enough that the people on the other ship could hear. The jaws of every shipwright hit the deck in shock. "Isn't that right, Captain?"

Luffy smiled, his hand falling to rest on Merry's figurehead. "That's right, Merry. Just a little longer."

"Well," Iceberg blinked in the face of the irrefutable proof that the ship was alive. "Fine. I'll see what I can do." With that said, the two ships, the bigger helping the smaller along, sailed toward Water 7.

 **End of Chapter 81**

* * *

 **I'm not very satisfied with this chapter. I feel like it could have come out so much better, but rereading it, I didn't know how. Well, I did, but I didn't know how I would get it to that level. I'm not a story like _This Bites_ where each chapter can put a long one-shot to shame and that's the kind of detail that a lot of fight scenes like this deserve... Oh well. Tell me what you all think!**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	82. The Dog and the Sheep

**Chapter 82:**  
 **The Dog and the Sheep**

 **A/N I don't usually respond to reviews, but there was one this time that I think would catch many of your interests. Anthony00 asked if I was ever going to give Coby a power boost like a new transformation. The answer to that is yes. Eventually, but before the time skip, Coby will unlock more forms for his Hybrid Mode (outside from that one Omake). Bonus points to anyone who can guess correctly how that will happen.**

 _Please note: I had this written before reading_ **This Bites,** _so any similarities, no matter how large or small, are purely coincidental._

A bonfire roared in the middle of Scrap Heap Island where the the best shipwrights of Galley-La had cleared a space for just such an occasion. Iceberg watched his men from atop one of the larger piles of scrap as Paulie and Tilestone carried several long boards from their work area by the ocean to the burning inferno, the two heaving the wood in. Kaku followed them, putting both to shame by carrying over twice as much by himself.

"Jeepers, y'all," the Zoan chuckled. "This isn't that heavy."

"Shut up," Paulie growled. "Iceberg might have accepted you back, but I still don't trust you. You'll have to earn my trust again, Long-Nose."

Kaku's smile vanished. "Listen, Paulie. I know what I did was bad, but please believe me when I say that I was literally raised to be an assassin. I'm sticking my neck out to be back here, hiding from the World Government itself."

"Still," Paulie huffed, pulling out a cigar and lighting it with the bonfire before them. "Do you think this plan'll work? It seems really risky."

"RAGH!" Tilestone yelled. "ICEBERG CAME UP WITH THIS PLAN! IT'S GOTTA WORK! RAAGH!"

"This can't be easy for the old girl," Kaku offered with a wince. "I can't imagine going through something like this."

"This is the last of the paneling," Lulu announced, dropping another load of wooden boards into the fire. "The keel's all that's left."

"In that case, our work here is done," the smoking shipwright responded.

"ICEBERG WANTED TO DO THE LAST PART ALONE!"

"We know that, Tilestone," Kaku groaned, stuffing a pinky into one of his ears. "Do you have to be louder than a million junebugs at midnight?"

"Either way, this is it," Lulu cut in. "Either Iceberg gets this to work or the Going Merry dies."

* * *

(Later)

The Straw Hat Pirates were sheltered in a side house owned by Galley-La placed within Dock 1, still recovering from their recent stunt to save one of their own. Luffy was seated at the building's lone dining table, eating despite not being awake by using a technique he had developed after missing so many meals in Alabasta. Three days had passed since the pirates had escaped from the judicial island of Enies Lobby and the Buster Call that Spandam had called down on it, but it was what had happened since they'd returned that Luffy dreamt about.

 _Galley-La welcomed the pirates back, their galleon towing the Straw Hats' failing ship to Scrap Heap Island. Quickly, Iceberg ordered the outlaws to grab anything they wanted to keep from the ship before shooing away anyone who wasn't a top-tier shipwright. Kaku fell to his knees at that moment, begging for Iceberg's forgiveness with the story about how he had betrayed the World Government just for the chance to return to Galley-La. Against the suggestions of the three other foremen, Iceberg accepted. While he no longer held the same status in the company that he once did, he was Kaku of the Spring Wind once more._

 _About 36 hours afterward, almost midnight at that point, the pirates were lounging in the living area of their temporary home when there was a knock at the door. Without waiting for someone to let him in, Iceberg opened the door and entered, a small form hidden behind him._

 _"Did it work?" Luffy asked instantly, suddenly serious. Iceberg smiled._

"Well, _let me introduce you to Merry, the first-ever recorded Wood Fairy without a full ship." He stepped to the side to show the one that had been behind him. It was a little girl who stood just over four feet tall with wavy, white hair that fell to her neck. She had two big, round, black eyes and a button nose that seemed to connect with an upward curve in the center of her mouth, giving her a shy smile reminiscent of her old figurehead. She still wore a white raincoat that covered most of her form and matching rain boots sat on her feet. A wooden hammer was secured in a loop on her coat and she held a folded black flag in her hands. Finally, two sheep horns like those of her old figurehead curled out from over the girl's ears and a silver choker rested on her neck._

 _The pirates stared at the girl, somewhat dumbfounded. Merry got continuously more fidgety at the lack of response she was getting._

 _"Merry!" Usopp cried, launching forward to wrap the little girl in a hug. Surprised, Merry dropped the flag in her hands and wrapped her arms around the sniper before realizing who was holding her._

 _"Uncle Usopp!" Tears fell on the white raincoat from Usopp's eyes. His wish had come true in the best way possible; they weren't getting rid of the Merry. She was joining them as another member._

 _"She's so cute!" Nami shouted, rushing forward to steal the little girl from Usopp. The klabautermann laughed as the navigator swung her around._

 _"Baahahaha! M_ _rs. Nami!" One-by-one, the pirates eagerly greeted their newest member, but only Usopp, Nami, and Luffy got special names, those being Uncle, Mrs. Nami, and Captain, respectively. Luffy called for a party officially welcoming the fairy onto their crew, forcing Sanji to go out and spend several thousand Beris on food. He had to grab extra as well since they didn't know what Merry could and could not eat after all. On the bright side, with Luffy there, there was no panic about food going to waste._

 _It was eventually determined that Merry, being partially wood and sheep-themed, was a vegetarian. This put her in several groups with Chopper; both were vegetarians, both were supposed to have fur (Merry looking like a sheep and whatnot), and both had horns. No one had questioned it as they watched the Wood Fairy talk with the doctor from her perch on Usopp's lap. (The sniper hadn't let her out of his sight since she'd been introduced.)_

 _Upon being asked, the klabautermann explained that she saw Usopp as an uncle because she saw Kaya's butler, Merry, as her father since she was built by him about four years before the Straw Hats claimed her as their own. Because he worked closely with and for Kaya, then Kaya was her aunt. And, since Usopp was dating her, he became her uncle. Upon that revelation, the long-nosed teen had all but dragged the girl away to talk to her "Aunt Kaya"._

 _The crew also learned that her raincoat had been hiding scars. The little girl said that she had a scar from every injury she'd received as a ship, which explained that the choker she wore, not unlike the metal plate that had held her figurehead on after crashing into Laboon the island whale, hid a scar from that same incident. She also had a prominent scar on her left forearm from when Wapol the Tyrant had eaten part of her railing. She asked Gin to cover that with her Straw Hat tattoo: a skull with ram horns and crossbones on a sail._

"Well, _there's one more thing you all should know," Iceberg announced after dinner had been finished, pulling something out of his pocket. It was a wooden heart about the size of Luffy's fist. "This is Merry's Heart, literally. I carved this out of the old keel and had the other shipwrights burn the rest of the ship piece by piece. This is the only remaining piece of the Going Merry and the only thing grounding her soul to this earth. If this gets destroyed, she_ will _die."_

 _"What?" Usopp questioned. "Is there any way we could just hide it in a safe place?"_

"Well, _I'm afraid not," Iceberg answered with a shake of his head. "Merry has to be within a certain distance of her Heart to maintain a physical form. And her Heart will rot if not given proper care. Even so, it will still age. I'd say that, should Merry die of old age, she has about 80 years."_

 _The pirates took the news in stride, Merry taking her Heart carefully. She would carry it with her for the rest of her life._

That had been almost a day ago, yet the pirates were still fauning over the little Wood Fairy. She had changed clothes into a red-and-white striped shirt that reminded them of the Going Merry's cross sail and a pair of cargo shorts so she could carry her Heart in the lower pocket on her right side and her hammer in one of her belt loops. She had on a red one-piece bathing suit underneath and her feet were bare. Small scars and burn marks littered her arms and legs, but she proudly showed off her new tattoo on her left forearm and the baby den-den on her left wrist, #12.

The sleeping bubble popped as Luffy woke up, falling back in his chair to crash onto the floor. From the living room, Coby, Usopp, Nami, and Merry laughed at him while Sanji took the empty plates from the table with a smirk. Chopper and Robin returned through the door, the doctor commenting that he had treated all of the Franky Family without letting Robin out of his sight.

"Chopper!" Merry waved. "Robin! Welcome back!"

"Hello to you too, Ms. Ship," robin chuckled, Sanji taking a shopping bag from her with hearts in his eyes before returning to the kitchen to make the women of the crew a snack. The others slowly wandered back until the whole crew was doating on their youngest and newest member. Technically, she was four and a half. Biologically, she was about ten. And mentally... well, she was a mix of all the Straw Hats, so wherever that number falls.

"Ow!" The door flew open, revealing Franky, Kiwi, and Mozu. Usopp slapped his hand over Merry's eyes, yelling at the cyborg to put some pants on. Franky ignored him, dropping himself to sit on the ground. "Listen, Straw Hats. I know you guys need another ship to sail on since Merry really isn't a ship anymore. That's why I'm going to offer you one."

"You are?" Coby asked.

"No matter what I tried, I still ended up following in the footsteps of my old master Tom. He was the man that built the Oro Jackson, the ship of Gold Roger. That ship was made of wood from a Jewel Tree known as Adam. Using that money we took from you guys, I was able to buy some Adam wood on the black market through a contact of mine. It would be an honor if you would take the ship I build and sail it to the end of the Grand Line, future King of the Pirates."

"Of course," Luffy answered, his crew breaking out in celebration. The celebration didn't last long, however, as one wall of the building burst inward, leaving a gaping hole surrounded by dust hanging in the air.

"What the Hell?!" Franky yelled.

"Language!" Usopp chastised, his body shielding Merry from debris; he'd taken to treating her more like his daughter than an honorary niece. The dust from the destruction started to settle, a lone figure walking through. The crew readied their weapons in case a fight broke out. Finally, the man was revealed.

"G-G-G-Grandpa?!" Luffy panicked, falling back. The man, dressed in Marine garb, was wearing a dog-shaped mask with his face showing in the dog's mouth, the grey of an old beard poking out near the dog's jaw. "W-W-What are you doing here?!"

"That's Vice-Admiral Garp?" Coby gasped in reverence, the tips of his swords hitting the ground as the marine took off the mask. He'd looked up to Garp as his role model while trapped on Alvida's ship. "I always wanted to meet him!"

"You haven't seen me in years and that's how you greet me, brat?!" Garp yelled at Luffy. "Even your cabin boy welcomed me better! I'll have to beat some manners into you!" He Shaved forward, moving too fast for the other pirates to react before his fist came down on Luffy's head.

"Ow!" Luffy complained, staggering away while holding a lump on his head. "That hurt, old man!"

"How could a punch hurt the Don?" Gin gasped in shock. "I've only ever seen the Donna hurt Don Luffy like that!"

"There's no defence against the Fist of Love!" Garp declared, lifting Luffy up by the front of his shirt. "So this is your little band of friends? I bit raggedy, but I'll make marines out of all of you!"

"No way!" Luffy denied, struggling in the man's grip. "I'm gonna be the King of the Pirates!"

"You brat!" Garp raised his fist to hit the teen over the head again.

"Rope Bind!" A piece of rope shot into the building from the work zone outside, wrapping itself around Garp's raised fist and pulling back.

"Huh?" Confused by the happening, the marine scanned the assembled pirates, his eyes coming to rest one the only one who wasn't at Enies Lobby. Merry had her arms out, fists clinched as she concentrated on holding the Vice-Admiral's fist back. "Who're you?"

"I'm Merry!" the little girl declared. "I won't let you hurt my captain!"

"Ahahahaha!" Garp laughed, throwing his head back. "Ahahaha-zzzzzzz."

"He's asleep?!" the pirates gaped, Luffy managing to shed his vest and escape his grandfather's clutches. He stumbled over to Nami and ducked behind her. In all honesty, he wasn't sure who was scarier; an angry Nami or his grandfather in general.

"Gah!" Garp gasped, waking up from his mini-nap. "Oh. I fell asleep, didn't I? Ahahaha!"

"Luffy," Nami whispered. "Your grandfather is crazy."

"I heard that!" Garp said, his eyes coming to rest on the woman his grandson was cowering behind. "So you're the little lady that my idiot grandson's fallen for, eh? Not bad."

"Wait a second," Gin muttered. "You're the one that started a betting pool on the Don's love life!"

"Sure did!" Garp laughed without a hint of shame. "Won half a million Beris for it! Got another bet going, too! Hey, brat! You and her done it yet?"

Neither Luffy or Nami answered, but their red faces were all the answer Garp needed.

"Hah! I was right! Pay up, maggots!" Grumbling profanities, several lower marines outside each passed Garp a handful of money.

"You two what?!" Sanji demanded, Gin and Zoro holding him back from mangling their captain. That didn't stop the cook from trying, though, his legs flailing while he impossibly balanced a tray of food. "When did this happen?! How long do I have to beat your ass?!" Luckily, Sanji never got the chance to beat on the captain as Amy's parasol came down to wack him on the head. The hit gave the chef a minor concussion. He wouldn't remember that part of Garp's visit.

"You've got a lively crew and a beautiful woman," Garp laughed as Zoro and Gin unceremoniously dropped the chef after the lightning-man took the tray. "Just like all Monkey D. men, I bet you fell for her in the span of a week if not a day! Your old man would be proud of you."

"Aren't you my old man?" Luffy questioned.

"No," Garp shook his head. "I'm your grandpa. I meant your dad would be proud of you."

"I have a dad?"

"Of course you have a dad," Nami scolded, punching the Devil Fruit user over the head, much to Garp's silent approval. "Where else would you come from? People don't just appear out of thin air!"

"But I never knew my dad," Luffy argued, less hurt than from his grandfather's fists. "I just assumed that he was dead or I didn't have one."

"My son ain't dead," Garp waved off. "I heard he was there to see you off at Louge Town."

"He was? What's he like? What's his name? Are we alike?"

"You don't even know your dad's name?" Usopp questioned.

"That's not his fault," Nami defended, rounding on the sniper. "Most of us on the crew are orphans. Neither Zoro or I knew our parents and Sanji was raised by Zeff."

"I'm an orphan," Coby announced.

"Never really knew my mom," Gin offered.

"I don't have a mom!" Merry chirped.

"I was kicked out of my pack," Chopper supplied sadly.

"You know our story," Amy and Grace shrugged.

"So, Grandpa," Luffy tried, slowly coming out from behind his lover. Garp threw him his vest. "What's my dad's name? What's he like? Is he strong?"

"I guess it is partially my fault for not telling you," Garp conceded. "And yeah, your dad's strong. One of the strongest and most feared men in the world, actually. His name is Dragon the Revolutionary. Monkey D. Dragon."

"What?!" Everyone fell backwards in shock, only Luffy and Merry not understanding what the big deal was.

"Your dad is Dragon the Revolutionary?!" Nami screamed.

"I didn't even know Vice-Admiral Garp had a son!" the marines cried.

"The son of one of the Marines' top men is the leader of the Revolutionaries?" Coby gasped.

"What kind of messed-up family do you have?" Amy demanded.

"I don't get it," Luffy stated. "Why's his job so important?"

"It's..." Robin tried. "The World Government tries to keep the peace throughout the world. Pirates like us, we don't usually go picking fights with them on a large scale. Most of us are smaller, kind of like scary bugs. The Revolutionaries, on the other hand, are the only organization in the world that actively fights the World Government. Many countries have adopted their way of thinking and have rebelled against the government as well."

"So Luffy wasn't the first one in his family to declare war on the World Government," Grace thought aloud, "even though one of them works there."

"What a weird family," Usopp muttered.

"Oh," Garp blinked. "I probably shouldn't've said all that. Just forget it."

"Are you nuts?!"

"Anyway," Garp brushed off. "Men, fix this wall for me. We'll be leaving when it's repaired."

"If you were going to have us fix it, then why did you break it in the first place?!" a marine demanded.

"Because," Garp smiled, "just walking through the front door doesn't make an impression."

"Ah, M-Mr. Garp," Coby stuttered, slowly raising a shaking hand, a pen and paper in his other. "Before you go, c-could I have your autograph?"

Garp blinked. "...Ahahahaha!" he roared, throwing his head back. "A pirate's asking for a marine's autograph! Now I've seen everything!" The old man snatched the paper and pen, scribbling down his name in barely-legible scrawl. "If I might ask," the marine began, glancing at the boy, "why would Tri-Horn Coby want the autograph of the Hero of the Marines?"

"W-Well, sir," Coby shifted, well aware of the eyes of everyone else. "W-When I was younger, before I met Captain Luffy, I always looked up to the Marines. M-My parents had died when I was young in a pirate raid on our town, but I was old enough to fend for myself, so no one took me in. Then, almost three years ago, I boarded a pirate ship I had mistaken for a fishing vessel. For two years, I dreamed of becoming a marine to catch people like Alvida, the pirate who was holding me captive. You were like a hero to me, so strong and brave. Little, weak me wanted to be like that." He paused, a single tear sliding down his face.

"And then I met Captain Luffy. He saved me from the Hell Alvida had put me through, and I thought that I had a chance to fulfill my dream. I wanted to be a marine! But... The marine I met wasn't a man like you. He was power hungry and didn't care about justice. He killed his own men or ordered them to kill themselves. I could feel my dream falling apart.

"And so," Coby continued, his voice becoming more hopeful and nostalgic, "I chose a new dream. If I couldn't bring justice to the world through the Marines, then I'd do it my own way! Pirates aren't bound by the rules of the world. We don't need to care about governmental politics." Coby smiled a soft smile. "The Marines couldn't touch Crocodile in Alabasta. And they wouldn't have done anything about Wapol, the corrupt king of Drum. But we could. And we did."

"Ahahahaha!" Garp laughed, making Coby almost jump back, his hands on the handles of his swords. "Ahahaha! You would have made a fine marine, kid, but I don't think you've missed your chance. I could wipe your slate clean for you. Whatdya say? Wanna still join the Marines?"

"V-Vice-Admiral Garp!" Coby gaped, his eyes locked on the man's outstretched hand. The rosette's hand twitched as if wanting to accept and came up to hover by Garp's palm. He glanced back, staring into the faces of his crewmates, taking in each of their expressions. Most of them were hard as steel, leaving the choice up to him, but Chopper seemed about ready to break into tears like Franky had, and Grace had gone so far as to paint her Calming Green on her arm. They weren't his crewmates.

No. They were his family.

"Sorry, Vice-Admiral," Coby apologized, batting the hand away gently and stepping back into the fold of pirates. "I can't leave my Nakama."

"I see," Garp sighed, adding something at the bottom of the page with his autograph. "That's a real shame. We could use more kids like you in the Marines. As long as you don't pull anymore reckless stunts like your group did at Enies Lobby, I should be able to get you enlisted, so give me a call if you change your mind."

"Thank you," Coby acknowledged, taking the page and ripping the bottom half away, "but that won't be necessary."

Garp sighed again. "Damn us Monkey D.s. We have this stupid ability to inspire absolute loyalty. My father had it. I have it. My son has it. And now my grandson, too." He turned and started toward the hole in the wall. "I know a lost cause when I see one. Good bye, Tri-Horn Coby, and good luck. And Luffy..." He paused. "Learn some damn manners, you brat!"

* * *

Garp left as soon as his men forced him to repair the wall, saying that he wasn't going to arrest Luffy or the Straw Hats because Luffy was his grandson and that the other officials would understand.

That night, the Straw Hats partied around Galley-La's private pool. The others who had been part of the rescue operation joined them, the party going on till the next morning. Sanji enjoyed seeing many of the women in their swimsuits, though he and Luffy got into several fights over him ogling Nami. That was, until the captain and navigator disappeared mysteriously around midnight. No one really noticed, they were all either wasted, distracted, or out cold by that point.

Zoro ended up getting his student and Grace blackout drunk while Amy was distracted. Coby and Grace would never know how it was that they ended up cuddling with each other on a raft in the middle of the pool, a pineapple clutched between them.

Amy formed a fast bond with Kiwi and Mozu, the three using their time to mess with Paulie, pointing out all the "indecent" women around and watching his reactions. They ended up having to stop when the man passed out from blood loss around 11 pm and a photographer asked Amy for an interview.

Merry spent every moment she could in the pool, Usopp right beside her. Being the spirit of a ship, Merry was a natural swimmer and she absolutely loved the water. She made sure that her Heart was with Robin at all times since she didn't exactly trust any of the guys with it; they were too busy dancing with chopsticks too close to the grill for her tastes. Grill equals fire, fire burns wood. Simple logic, really.

The next morning, she woke to find herself wrapped in a fluffy towel while snuggling with Usopp on a lawn chair. The rest of the crew, minus Nami and Luffy, were strewn about the pool area. The horned klabautermann spotted Coby and Grace dozing on the raft and chuckled about how that was her idea. She didn't know where the pineapple had come from, though. Were they even native to Water 7? She also spotted Gin hanging from his shoelaces tied around Amy's umbrella mounted on a flagpole. How he got there or why he was only in his boxers and headband, she hadn't a clue. Amy, for her part, had one arm dangling over the side of the roof and was missing her hat and one shoe. She had a bundle of lemons and limes strewn around her and a half-drunk six-pack of hard lemonade in her hand.

Zoro was slumped over the bar counter, clutching Wado Ichimonji and Kitetsu III in his sleep like a child holds a teddy bear, dressed in all pink and with a cowboy hat on. Sanji was resting against the side of the building under a window in his swimwear, though passed out may have been more accurate if the blood on his front and steadily dripping from his nose was of any indication. He was muttering about beautiful women, shitty monkeys, and swans. Finally, Robin was sleeping peacefully in one of the lawn chairs, a book in some other language resting in her lap and Chopper in her arms.

Off to the side, Tilestone and Kaku were still locked in the middle of an arm-wrestling contest despite the fact that the latter was asleep and the former still fully awake. It was amazing that the large man's growling aggravation hadn't woken anyone yet. The rest of the foremen were nowhere to be found, probably having gone home to sleep.

Merry gave a content sigh with a dismissive shake of her head and burrowed herself deeper into her Uncle's side, thinking that she could get used to this.

She'd liked being their ship, but she loved being a crewmember so much more.

 **End of Chapter 82**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	83. Thousand Sunny Sets Sail

**Chapter 83:**  
 **Thousand Sunny Sets Sail**

 _ **Viewer discretion is advised. Reasons? Franky's recruitment. 'nuff said.**_

The Straw Hats spent the next three days learning everything they could about Merry as well as helping her figure out what sort of fighting style she wanted to use (at least, after getting over their hangovers. They still weren't sure where that pineapple had come from). Originally, Usopp had been completely against the idea of "his precious Merry" going into battle if he could help it, but he was overruled by numbers and logic; whether he liked it or not, Merry was now a pirate and pirates had to fight for their lives. It was at that point that Merry began experimenting.

As a klabautermann, Merry had the innate ability to control ship parts like magic; how else would she have been able to sail herself to Enies Lobby? But, due to her small size on account of her having been a caravel, she could only control a small amount of items at a time. Her personal favorite were cannonballs, but those were one-use items, so she began practicing with rope instead. Paulie became a great asset when he wasn't helping Franky, Iceberg, Kaku, and the others with the building of the Straw Hats' new ship.

Usopp never did let up on his doating. Where the others had quickly returned to their normal selves, only with Merry as new gear in their well-oiled machine, Usopp continued to treat her like she was his own flesh-and-blood. In all honesty, Merry loved it. She could frequently be found getting piggyback rides from the sniper or riding on his shoulders, laughing with him about this and that. Merry was determined to do all the things that she never could as a ship.

The three days passed quickly, bringing their total time in Water 7 to eight days. The final day came with the announcement that their new ship was ready. Grabbing their stuff, as well as the ten-and-a-half million Beris they had left over after partying and shopping for Merry, the pirates were out the door and ready to see their new home. Zanbai and the rest of the Franky Family stopped them outside, however.

"Straw Hats!" Zanbai yelled, panting. "Big news!"

"What is it?" Coby asked, him in his Dino Mode to carry the tangerine trees as well as his stuff.

"New bounties came out! You're all wanted!"

"All of us?!" Usopp screamed, grabbing Merry in a protective hug.

"Uh, I guess not all of you," Zanbai amended, pointedly looking at Merry, "but everyone that was a key player at Enies Lobby got a bounty. Look!"

 **"Straw Hat" Monkey D. Luffy: 300,000,000 Beris**  
 **"Pirate Hunter" Roranoa Zoro: 120,000,000 Beris**  
 **"Tri-Horn" Coby: 65,000,000 Beris**  
 **"Long-Nose" Usopp: 30,000,000 Beris**  
 **"Black Leg" Sanji (photo unavailable): 77,000,000 Beris**  
 **"Electric Demon" Gin: 100,000,000 Beris**  
 **"Cat Burglar" Monkey D. Nami: 30,000,000 Beris**  
 **"Mood Painter" Grace Marigold: 20,000,000 Beris**  
 **"Weightless Woman" Amy Palant: 28,000,000 Beris**  
 **"Monster Doctor" Tony Tony Chopper: 25,000,000 Beris**  
 **"Devil-Child" Nico Robin: 80,000,000 Beris**  
 **"Cyborg" Franky: 44,000,000 Beris**

Luffy's, Zoro's, and Coby's wanted posters were the same, the only difference an updated human picture for the Zoan of the three from their stunt on the judicial island. In the picture, Coby was smirking with Zoro's back behind him, wind whipping his clothes to the right. Usopp's picture was taken right after he shot at the Marines' flag, the fiery shockwave racing out behind him. It was a rather badass picture for the coward. Sanji's picture was not so much a picture, but more of a terrible drawing (you know the one). Gin's picture was one of him from the battle on the bridge, shooting lightning at one of the battleships with a crazed look in his eye and a demented smile. Nami's picture was from the party, her in her bikini and smiling brightly as Luffy pecked her on the cheek, his arms wrapped around her from behind.

Grace's picture was also from the bridge, marines arrayed behind her with various expressions while the girl's eyes were shaded by her hat, her paintbrush in her hand thrown out to the side. Amy's poster had her kicking a marine in the balls while the two were in the air, a sadistic grin on her face. (Luckily for the marine, his face was blurred out.) Chopper's had a picture of him diving into cotton candy at the celebration party, the innocent act completely at odds with the largish bounty. Robin's picture was also updated, her having her arms crossed while marines were being bent over backwards behind her. Finally, Franky's was just him screaming.

"This is awesome!" Luffy grinned. "I wonder how much we're worth in total."

"This is terrible!" Nami cried. "And why am I 'Monkey D. Nami'?! ...Although, that is a nice picture."

"Fufufu," Robin chuckled. "I suppose that, by all technicality, you and the Captain are married now."

"Nami-swan is married?!"

"But why?" the navigator demanded.

"It's not a big deal," Luffy waved off, wrapping an arm around his girlfriend-now-technically-wife. He planted a kiss on her cheek. "At least now I can tell everyone you're mine." Nami blushed, but did not respond.

"I think, Captain Luffy, that the right way to say that is that you are hers," Coby quipped. "We went over that in the Rainbow Mist."

"How did they know that Chopper is our doctor?" Zoro questioned, an eyebrow lifting at the 25 million Beri bounty. "And how did they get all of our names?"

"I might have been interviewed during the party," Amy chuckled, awkwardly fiddling with her parasol. "They asked questions about us and I was drunk enough to answer them. I remember getting paid in some way, too."

"So that's were all those lemons came from!" Gin gasped.

"W-Why is my name 'Long-Nose'?!" Usopp demanded, his fists crinkling the edges of his poster. "Didn't I do enough for a cooler nickname?! What the He-eeeeck." The sniper censored himself. Sure, he knew that technically Merry had heard all of them curse (and more in the case of two specific people), but she still looked like a little girl to him and he wanted to keep her that way.

"Yours reads 'high offender for the burning of Marine flags', Usopp," Coby pointed out, reading the words over the sniper's shoulder. "That means your bounty is more out of insult than battle prowess. It does have a cool picture, though."

"Why is mine a drawing?" Sanji sulked. He was not having a good day.

"Wow!" Luffy blinked. "It looks just like you, Sanji!"

"No it doesn't!" the cook shouted over Zoro's laughter.

"It's not even a good drawing," Grace commented. "I mean really. These pencil markings are so shabby. I could make a better picture with my feet."

"Grace, look," Amy cooed. "You and I have awesome nicknames. 'Mood Painter' is so much cooler than anything like 'Tri-Horn'."

"Hey!" Coby whined. "Not nice!"

"Zoro and I reached 100 million," Gin smirked. "Sorry, Sanji." Robin giggled at the cook who became even more depressed.

"All together, we are worth 875 million Beris," Chopper offered.

"I have a feeling that number will go up soon," Coby muttered. "Captain Luffy's got that _look_ in his eye."

"Not _the look!"_ Usopp gasped theatrically before actually gasping. "Oh crap! The government knows my face! Shi-iiiitaki mushrooms."

"At least Kaya now has a picture of you," Zoro smirked, "...Long-Nose."

"How are you guys taking this so calm?!" Zanbai questioned before shaking his head. "Never mind. We need to ask you all a favor. Please, take Big Bro Franky with you." He paused. "Oh, uh, and congratulations," he added to Luffy and Nami.

"Why?" Usopp demanded, dropping his poster in favor of pulling Merry close. Yeah, Franky was a cyborg, and that was awesome, but he was also an unrepentant pervert. Usopp wanted that Speedo-wearing hentai nowhere near his little Merry. On the other side of the group, the look in Luffy's eye got brighter.

"Big Bro's wanted now!" Zanbai yelled hysterically. "Everyone in Water 7 knows his face. He'd never be safe here! With you all, however..."

"Heard and accepted!" Luffy stated with his contagious grin. "I'll go ask him right now!"

"That brings our total up to 919 million Beris," Robin commented.

"Luffy, no!" Usopp tried. "Think of the children!"

"But I like Franky," Merry countered from the sniper's arms. "And he's a cyborg! That's so cool!"

"He won't go if you just ask," Kiwi sighed.

"Big Bro wants to go with you," Mozu picked up, "but he doesn't want to leave us alone. You'll have to force him to accept."

"In that case, I've got the perfect plan," Luffy smirked.

* * *

The ship that the shipwrights of Water 7 had built was amazing. It was a Brig Sloop a total of two-and-a-half times as big as Merry had been and painted red, yellow, and white with a big, circular door on each side with a red 1. The deck was unique, covered with live grass, a couple of trees with a swing set, and a hidden pool. The pathway to the aft deck was a stairway up on one side and a slide down the other. The inside was filled with several special rooms including, but not limited to, a dining hall/kitchen with an aquarium, a doctor's office, men and women's bedrooms, and a workshop. Another two layers sat on top of the doors on the deck, the second floor with three different doors and the third with only one painted with the jolly roger.

The top of the main mast held the crow's nest which doubled as both a weight training area and an observatory while the community bathroom was at the end of the ship. A secondary mast poked out from over the third floor, the black flag of the Straw Hat Pirates flying proudly from the top of both masts. The figurehead looked like a lion with crossbones under it and a large paw on either side, though Iceberg kept insisting that he thought it was a sunflower. The steering wheel was just behind it on the bow, a giant log pose set into the floor beside the wheel for easy viewing. The Straw Hat crew was all over the place, exploring their new home while the Franky Family put Luffy's terrifying, brilliantly-stupid plan into action. Iceberg watched them scurry with a smile. The only Straw Hat not on the ship, Franky notwithstanding, was Coby who was on the ground talking with Kaku, giving him advice about controlling his Zoan powers. The two that had hit it off at Enies Lobby had taken to hanging together since returning, turning into the best of friends in a short amount of time.

"Um, question!" Nami called, poking her had out of the women's bedroom. "Why are there only four beds in here when there are five women on the crew?"

 _"Well,_ that's because you aren't sleeping in there with the other women," Iceberg chuckled. "Yours and Straw Hat's master bedroom is on the third level. It's the door with the jolly roger."

"...What?" Nami croaked. Luffy bounced over from where he had been enjoying the lawn deck.

"Did I hear my name?"

"You did, Straw Hat," Iceberg nodded. "I was just telling your wife about the room you two will be sharing. Congratulations, by the way. _Well,_ it is equipped with an extra-large king-sized bed (appropriate for the future King of Pirates), a private bathroom and shower, a map-making table with all the essentials, and extra soundproofing among other things."

"D-D-Did you just say soundproofing?" Nami stuttered, her face coloring.

 _"Well,_ of course," the blue-haired man smirked. "We can't have you two waking your crew with the kind of noises I heard coming from the bedrooms during the party, now can we? I was certain I locked those, by the way."

"Whose idea was it for me to room with Luffy?"

"Mine," the captain smiled. "After what happened during the party-" He was cut off, the orange-haired girl punching him over the head. "Ow," Luffy whined. "What was that for?"

"Why didn't you ask me?" Nami demanded, hands on her hips.

"I thought it was a good idea and when I talked to Franky, he said it's better to 'ax forgery than germ nations' or something like that."

Nami stormed away toward her orchard with a huff, red-faced and completely embarrassed. It wasn't that she was against the idea, it was just so unexpected. Luffy, unabashed, turned to the blue-haired man and asked how to get to their room so he could try out the new, shared bed.

* * *

When Franky fell from the sky with nothing to cover his modesty, Usopp shoved Merry into the women's quarters and refused to let her out on the grounds of "preserving her innocence".

"Ow!" Franky yelled, making no move to cover his nether regions as he chooses his way out of the scrap heap he'd landed in. "You bastards are going to _super_ pay for that one!"

"Put some pants on!" Usopp yelled, ignoring Merry's shouts to let her out or the thumping on the door behind him. If they had been on the Going Merry, she would have been able to just pass through the wall, but now she was grounded to her Heart and couldn't fade into the ship. (She could, however, release her physical body, which was a manifestation of her soul, and hide inside her Heart, but that wouldn't let her get through walls.) "There are children watching!"

"Oi!" Luffy yelled, jumping up to stand on the railing with Franky's single pair of briefs in his hand. "If you want your pants back, you have to join my crew!"

"Like I care!" Franky waved off. "I don't need my briefs."

"The Franky Family did say we would need to get forceful," Coby mused.

"Allow me, Captain," Robin smiled sadistically. "Dos Fleur: Grab."

"AHHHHHH!" Every male in the vicinity winced at the sound of Franky's wail. Robin had sprouted two arms from the cyborg's legs and preceded to grab and squeeze his "batteries". Franky collapsed, screaming to the highest heavens.

"Kyahahaha!"

"Robin!" Luffy gasped over Amy's sadistic laughter. "I want him to still be a man when he joins!"

"That's too cruel," Coby winced, covering his own protectively.

"Stop it, Robin!" Chopper pleaded. "That can't be good for him!"

"She's going to crush them!" Kiwi gasped.

"Like little grapes!" Mozu added on.

"Let me go!" Franky cried, trying and failing to stand up through the pain.

"I will do no such thing until you comply with my captain's order," Robin's even voice answered over the shipwright's pain-filled cries.

"I won't join you!" Franky tried to protest. "There are too many things I have to finish here!"

"No there aren't!" Zanbai denied, a packed bag dropping to the ground next to the head of the Franky Family. "We know what you want in your heart, Bro! You're safer with them!"

"You morons!" the cyborg yelled. "What would you do without me?!"

"Iceberg was nice enough to offer us work at Galley-La!" one of the half-Giants answered. "He said something about having people just for _dismantling_ freeing up more shipwrights for, uh... mantling."

"Construction," Zanbai corrected.

"Yeah, that!"

"Go on, Big Bro!" Kiwi urged.

"They need you more than us," Mozu added.

"But... but- AHHHH!"

"She's going to crush them!"

"Like little acorns!"

"Franky," Iceberg cut in, stepping ahead of Paulie, Tilestone, Lulu, and a kneeling Kaku. "The only reason you want to stay here is because you still blame yourself for Tom's death and you're trying to punish yourself. We know you aren't really happy here. We've known for months. These pirates, they're your ticket to the freedom you want."

"I gave them my Ship of Dreams," Franky shot back, wincing. "My job is done!"

"No, it's not." Iceberg shook his head. "I remember when you first told us about that dream. You said that once you'd built your dream ship, then you'd join that crew to make sure it made it to the end of the world. You've built the ship, now do the rest of it."

"Iceberg..." Franky whispered. He broke down, clutching his manhood and crying about it hurting so much, tears flowing from his eyes. "It hurts! Oh, Goda, it fucking huuuurts! Waaahhh!"

"She's going to crush them!"

"Like little cantaloupes!"

"Robin!" Luffy whined. "I thought I told you to stop!"

"I let go a long time ago," Robin waved off.

"You better wash your hands," Zoro quipped. "We don't know where those things have been."

"You mean he's faking it?" Chopper questioned.

"It's his excuse to cry," Gin offered. "Anyone who calls himself a man will refuse to cry out of emotion. Franky? He's trying to pass it off as pain."

"It's not working too well," Amy laughed.

"Yeah," Gin chuckled. "Don't tell him that."

"Alright, Franky!" Luffy yelled, throwing the man's briefs to him. "Get on my ship!"

"Your ship, huh?" Franky laughed, wiping the last few tears out of his eyes. "Fine. An amateur like you would sink her in a week without a shipwright."

"The Marines are coming!" someone in the crowd yelled.

"Hurry up!" Luffy ordered. "Everyone set sail! We're getting out of here!" Franky scrambled on board, hastily putting his garment back on so Usopp could let their little Wood Fairy out.

"Hey, Wind!" Coby called over the side of the ship. "If the Marines find you, or if you ever need a place to go, you're welcome to join us! I'd convince Captain Luffy to let you on!"

"Thanks, little man!" Kaku called back, "but I think my place is here! I'll see you cool cats again if you return to Water 7! Good luck out there! And remember what I told you! It's definitely there! I expect to hear good news soon! You've got my number?"

"Yeah! I still don't think you're right about that, but I hope so! Thanks, Wind!" Turning away, Coby joined the rest of the crew as they prepared for departure. The pirates scurried about, Merry's ship powers being no small boon to their efficiency since she could control up to a third of the ship at any time.

Grace glanced at Coby from where she was checking the knots on the tied-down supplies, an eyebrow raised. "Wind?"

"My nickname for Kaku," he answered with a grunt, pulling a rope into place. "They call him the Spring Wind; I just shortened it. I learned a lot from him this week."

"Like what?"

"Grandpa's here!" Luffy yelled, interrupting their conversation as a Marine battleship with a dog figurehead rounded the island.

"Luffy!" Garp called through a microphone. "I know you can hear me! Just surrender and I can pull some strings to get you and your friends enlisted in the Navy!" He paused. "Congratulations, by the way!" he added. "I'm so proud of you! Now join the Marines!"

"No way!" Luffy shouted. "I'm gonna be the King of the Pirates!"

"And he says he can recognize lost causes?" Amy sighed quietly.

"That family," Gin agreed with a shake of his head.

"I didn't want to have to do this, but apparently not catching you because you're my grandson didn't fly with Sengoku, so I'll have to send you, your friends, and your wife to a watery grave! I'll send a gift later if you survive! Meteor Fist!" A cannonball faster than any the pirates had ever seen whizzed by just behind their new ship. They all gasped, Merry especially; she hadn't even had time to try to take control of it. Hardening her gaze, the klabautermann planted herself where she could see all of the oncoming projectiles. Another volley raced toward the ship as Merry thrust her hands forward, the iron balls slowing until the came to a stop hovering over the ocean.

"I am the spirit of the Going Merry, the original ship of the Straw Hat Pirates!" she shouted, hoping her voice reached the marines. The cannonballs began spinning around each other, shocking the people watching. "I sailed myself to save my family from the destruction of Enies Lobby and, as long as I'm around, no one will harm my Nakama with cannons! Cannonball Barrage!" With her final declaration, the little girl threw the cannonballs back toward the marines. Even though the projectiles weren't as fast as when Garp had thrown them and said man was able to easily deal with them, Merry smiled at getting her point across. Who knew? Maybe she'd get a bounty for this.

"Merry!" Usopp cried, pulling her from the railing. "Are you nuts?! What if they got a picture of you?!"

"Then I'd have a better wanted poster than Sanji," Merry laughed, the chef sinking to the grassy deck at how true the statement was. "And I'd have a cooler epithet than you." Usopp joined Sanji in their wallowing of self-pity.

"More are headed this way!" Zoro yelled, cutting two cannonballs in half with a flying slash. Next to him, Gin had managed to condense lightning into pellets and was firing them out of finger pistols to blow up whatever projectiles he could.

"Hey, Franky!" Coby shouted, flying slashes of his own redirecting cannonballs. "Does this thing have a quick-escape?!"

"Sure does!" the cyborg called back, a Weapons Left blowing a trio of projectiles out of the air. "But we can't leave yet! This is the ship's maiden voyage! She can't leave the island without a name!"

"But what will we call her...it?" Amy questioned, batting a cannonball upward with her umbrella. "Do all ships have a gender?"

"Well, Iceberg suggested the Thousand Sunny, something about sailing a thousand sunny days to the end of the Earth, but personally, I'm all for Super Battle Franky Lion King Alpha!"

"The Thousand Sunny!" Luffy yelled ecstatically, ignoring the sounds of exploding cannonballs. "Hey, Merry? Does the ship like her name?"

"I can't answer that," Merry responded, flicking a dozen cannonballs to the right so they missed the ship. "She isn't alive. We haven't had her long enough for her to start having a klabautermann, yet. And honestly, Amy, I'm not sure how ship gender works. Most ships are assumed female, but that doesn't mean there can't be male ships as well. We'll just have to wait until Sunny has enough consciousness to tell us."

"Oh." Luffy seemed disappointed, but he bounced back quickly. "She'll be called the Thousand Sunny! And she'll be a she until we're told otherwise because that's easier! Franky, hit the emergency whatsit!"

"Alright," Franky saulked. No one was listening to his Franky-themed suggestion. "I'll need about 30 seconds. Lil' Sis, get the sails furled!"

"Sure thing, Big Bro!" Merry responded, grabbing a rope and having it pull her upwards.

"We've got you covered," Usopp cheered, knocking three balls out of the air with well-placed Gunpowder Stars. The cannonballs continued to rain down on the pirate vessel, but, try as he might, Garp could only throw so fast. The Straw Hats' teamwork easily kept up with his steady stream of attacks. Finally, Garp brought out the ball-and-chain, a chain connected to an iron ball even bigger than the Marine ship itself. Where he'd kept it, the pirates hadn't a clue.

"Franky!" Chopper wailed. "Hurry!"

"We're ready!" the shipwright called, pink energy accumulating in a large vent at the back of the ship. "This thing takes three barrels of Cola, but thanks to the durability of the Adam wood, Sunny will be able to withstand the pressure."

"No way!" Merry gasped, feeling the power building up in the ship below her feet.

"Coup de Burst!" Franky pulled a lever, releasing all the energy that had build up. He wasn't a moment too soon, the ship shooting away into the air just before the shadow of Garp's ridiculously-big weapon passed over it. They were flying.

"No offence, Lil' Sis," Franky began, the rest of the crew marveling at the fact that they were flying once more, "but the Thousand Sunny is better than you ever were as a ship. She's my _super_ masterpiece and she'll be known as the greatest ship ever built!"

"I was never made for this," Merry idly waved off, leaning over the railing to watch the ocean race past. Usopp was behind her in an instant, his arms making sure she didn't fall off.

The ship splashed down a kilometer away, both Water 7 and the marines long out of sight. Quickly, Sanji scrounged up a feast and Luffy raised a glass. "Here's to having Robin back, to our two new crewmembers Franky and Merry, my unofficial marriage, and to our new ship the Thousand Sunny! Cheers!"

"Cheers!" everyone chorused, their mugs coming together between them.

 **End of Chapter 83**

* * *

 **Unfortunately, I think this'll be the start of a short (hopefully) Hiatus until I get the Thriller Bark Arc done and get started on the next.**

 **No one was able to guess how Coby got his new transformations, but I can say that it won't be until after Thriller Bark. Did that give anyone a hint? It is Canon (I think).**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	84. Omake: Bounty Reactions

**You all wanted it, so here it is: some of the reactions to the Straw Hats' raid of Enies Lobby and their bounties.**

* * *

 **Hometown Happenings:**

 **Cocoyashi Village**

It was a beautiful morning in the small village of Cocoyashi of the Conami Islands. There wasn't a cloud in the sky to be seen against the early morning sunlight, but a light breeze tickled the buildings as it blew through the town, just strong enough to make the pirate flag proudly flying in the village center flutter. The symbol of the Straw Hat Pirates danced in the wind, its mere presence a constant warning to any on the seas with ill will toward the island's inhabitants. From the far west came a flock of News Coo, the intelligent carrier birds swooping low to drop their cargo to the people of the village before curving back the way they'd come.

Trying to rub the weariness from his eyes, an old man covered in scars was the first one out that morning. The breeze spun the pinwheel stuck into his old, maroon, military hat, but the man took no notice as he yawned. Stretching his arms over his head, he bent down to scoop up the closest newspaper, a headline larger than any he'd seen before covering the front page. Simply glancing at the words shocked the man, ridding him of any leftover lingerings of sleep.

 **STRAW HAT PIRATES DECLARE WAR ON ENIES LOBBY, WIN**

"Everybody get the Hell out here now!" Genzo yelled at the top of his voice, everyone in the village responding immediately to the order of their de facto mayor.

"It's seven in the morning," a random villager complained, rubbing his eyes. "What's so important you couldn't let us sleep ten more minutes?"

"Nami and the others just pulled off something big!" Genzo answered in a yell. "They made the front page!"

" _The Straw Hat Pirates_ ," a woman read aloud from a newspaper, " _are an extremely dangerous pirate group last confirmed to number 11 people and are under the command of 'Straw Hat' Monkey D. Luffy. Two days ago, they and approximately 75 others led a raid on the Judicial Island of Enies Lobby. All civilians that had been on the island had been evacuated prior to the attack due to security reasons, so there were no civilian casualties. However, casualties among the Marines number several thousand and the entire island was destroyed. Complete statistics are still being calculated._ "

"' _This is one of the darkest days in the history of the Marines,' said Fleet Admiral Sengoku,_ " another villager took over. " _'To think a single pirate group of that size could do this much damage alone is impossible. The destruction of Enies Lobby is not the result of military action, but the insufficient quality of Ciper Pole #9 and the reckless behaviour of the agents and their superior. While the agents could not be found in the wreckage and are presumed dead, their commander is being disciplined at Marineford despite his broken back. Nothing like this will ever happen again, I assure you.' The reason for the pirates' attack is unknown at this time. Current suspicions deem this attack to have been unprovoked._ "

" _I call bullshit on that_!" a man shouted.

" _More details on the attack and the pirates in question can be found inside,_ " the reader finished.

"There are wanted posters," an elderly woman commented, taking the small stack from a paper her son was holding. The top poster showed the smiling face of the village's saviour, a nine-digit number sitting beneath his name.

"Their doctor is adorable!" a woman gushed, holding up Chopper's wanted poster. "Look at how cute this guy is!"

"That Coby brat sure has grown up a lot," the town's doctor blinked. "Good for him."

"Luffy recruited the infamous Nico Robin," another man commented with a smirk. "First the Demon Butcher Roranoa Zoro, then the Man-Demon Gin, and now the Devil Child."

"Check again," the man's wife corrected, holding up another poster. "Gin's the 'Electric Devil' now."

"What's with all the commotion?" Nojiko yawned, the blue-haired sister of Nami wandering into the impromptu village meeting. A newspaper was shoved into her face, the woman scanning it quickly.

"Uh, Genzo?" a teen boy asked. "You may want to see this."

"What is it?" the man demanded, snatching the page out of the boy's shaking hand. He took one look at the poster and promptly froze. There, for all the world to see, was the pride of Cocoyashi on her own poster.

But that couldn't be right. They got the name wrong!

 **Wanted Dead or Alive:**

 **"Cat Burglar" Monkey D. Nami**

 **30,000,000 Beris**

The picture would have been deemed sweet by anyone other than the girl's surrogate father. Nami was the center of the picture, though she was sharing it with her captain. The top of a bikini could be made out at the bottom of the photo, but most of it was covered by the arms of the raven-haired boy hugging her from behind. Luffy's head was turned toward her, his lips pressed into her cheek. Nami was smiling brightly at whatever he'd said before that, a gleam in her cracked eyes. It didn't seem like she knew that the camera was there.

"They're adorable together," Nojiko praised over Genzo's shoulder. "I'm so happy for her. We should send them something to congratulate them. I wish I could have been there for the wedding, though."

"Geiegem," Genzo gurgled.

"Genzo?"

"Emmagitem."

"Hey, Doc! I think we've got a problem!"

The doctor shuffled over, waving his hand in front of the unresponsive man's face. Without warning, Genzo's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he crumpled.

"GENZO!"

* * *

Genzo woke up in the doctor's office that evening, Nojiko humming to herself as she sewed something at his bedside. He groaned as consciousness returned, now aware of a painful throb in his chest. Genzo tried to sit up, but Nojiko gently forced him back down.

"You've got strict orders not to move," the blunette told him with no room for argument.

"What happened?" the older man asked, wincing at the pain talking caused.

"You didn't take your blood pressure medicine this morning," the woman answered. "You had a heart attack."

"Damn," he grunted. "It must've messed up my head. I had the worst dream."

"Oh?"

"I dreamt that Nami got her own poster, but it said that she was married to Straw Hat." Genzo shook his head. "Weird, right?"

Nojiko blinked at him. "That wasn't a dream. It was the shock that caused the heart attack."

"...Gerk." Clutching at his heart, Genzo flopped back on the bed.

"Damn it! Not again! Doc, get back in here!"

 **Fin**

* * *

 **Fusha Village**

The little town of Fusha Village on Dawn Island was in an uproar,a village-wide party originating from Party's Bar near the center of town. In the midst of this were a certain group of mountain bandits, the leader of which couldn't stop her tears as she guzzled mug after mug of alcohol.

Dadan was a large woman with bushy red hair, her intimidating frame at odds with the way she was acting at the moment as she cried into her drink.

"T-That little brat!" she wailed. "He didn't even bother to sent us a note! How dare he!"

"It is quite surprising that Luffy's married now," Makino, the bartender, responded, sending a bright smile to the redhead that she did not see. "I doubt it's official, though. There isn't a ring on Luffy's hand."

Dadan's tears dried instantly, the woman turning to the two posters on the wall behind the bar. One of them held the grinning face of Monkey D. Luffy while the other was of the teen's navigator. Looking past the family name on the second poster, the bandit focused on the hands shone. Indeed, neither of Luffy's hands in the photo showed any kind of jewellery, rings or otherwise.

"..." Dadan was silent for a moment, blinking slowly. "...THOSE GOVERNMENT BASTARDS! GETTING ME SO RILED UP OVER NOTHING! I'M GONNA GIVE GARP A PIECE OF MY MIND NEXT TIME HE SHOWS UP!"

Threw it all, Makino quietly laughed at Dadan's rage and the town's grumbling mayor in the corner, whining about Luffy ruining Fusha's reputation with a hidden smile.

 **Fin**

* * *

 **(Syrup Village)**

"He did it!" three small voices cried as they ran through the usually-quiet town of Syrup Village. "The captain did it! He's a brave warrior of the sea!"

"Would you brats keep it down!" an older woman yelled through her window. "I thought we were free from this when that good-for-nothing liar left, only for you kids to take his place!"

"What what you say about Captain Usopp!" Carrot yelled back.

"Yeah!" Pepper agreed. "The captain's a wanted man now! He's worth 30 million!"

"All the more reason you shouldn't follow in his footsteps!" the woman grumbled.

"Oh!" Onion blinked. "Let's go tell Miss Kaya! Merry won't get their mail for another hour." With a trio of nods, the boys dashed through the town, celebrating their captain's achievement. Reaching the mansion, they quieted down and moved around the back, entering through Usopp's old entrance. They scurried across the grounds before shimmying up the tree outside Kaya's window.

"Miss Kaya!" the boys called, stealing the girl's attention from the medical textbook before her. The blonde look much healthier and radiant that when the Straw Hats had left with her significant other so long ago.

"Pepper, Carrot, Onion," she greeted. "What's up?"

"He did it! Usopp got a bounty!" Carrot pushed the poster he was holding through the window and into the girl's hand. She looked down at it with something akin to shock before breaking out into a genuine smile.

"How wonderful! I think I should call later to congratulate him! Would you all like to be there?"

"Yes, please!"

 **Fin**

* * *

 **(Unknown island in the New World)**

From the world's viewpoint, the Yonko of the Pirates were four powerful, serious people, each of them having enough strength between them and their crews to destroy entire kingdoms.

"Uuuuggghhhh."

Well, they were sort of right.

As powerful and serious as Kaido, Big Mom, and even Whitebeard can be, "Red Hair" Shanks never fit the norm. The man and his crew of extremely-powerful pirates were currently all passed out throughout a forest, having partied the night before. There wasn't even a lookout as a man calmly walked through the ranks of passed-out pirates.

Moving silently, the man came to a stop before the form of the one-armed pirate captain who was snoring while sleeping on a fallen log, much like how he had been last time the man tracked down Shanks. Sighing heavily, "Hawk-Eye" Mihawk kicked the ginger off the log.

Shanks woke up with a gasp, his Haki-covered arm instantly shooting out to attack whomever had decided to wake him up. Mihawk didn't bat an eye, his own Haki countering the Emperor's fist. Shanks blinked at his friend tiredly, not recognizing him for a moment until his eyes widened.

"Mihawk!" the Yonko yelled, waking some of his crew. "It's been too long! What brings you to our little neck of the woods?"

"Do you recall that child you once told me would succeed your old captain?" Mihawk's voice was calm and quiet, the total opposite of Shanks'.

"Is this about Luffy? I sure hope that anchor didn't go get himself killed."

"Quite the contrary," Mihawk answered. "It seems he and his crew are doing exceedingly well." The man who held the title of World's Greatest Swordsman reached into his robe and pulled out a stack of papers, passing them to the man as his closest friends gathered around him.

"300 million!?" Shanks gasped with a grin. "You sure outdid yourself, Luffy!"

"Hey, Yasopp," Lucky Roo asked. "What was the name of your boy again? The one you left behind in the East Blue?"

"Usopp!" Yasopp answered with a bright smile. "I remember when I left, he told me he wanted to be just like me when he grew up! But if he did, I think I'd have a heart attack at the thought of the dangers he'd face here on the Grand Line!"

"Then go get a doctor, cause you're gonna have that heart attack." The round man shoved one of the papers in the sniper's face, Yasopp snatching it out of his hand.

"'Long-Nose' Usopp?" the boy's father demanded. "How dare those government dogs make a mockery of Brachina's proud nose! I'll fill them with enough holes to make swiss cheese jealous! ...But _Godadamn_ that's a good picture."

"Hey, Cap'n," Ben Beckman called. "You might want to see this. Looks like Luffy went and got himself hitched."

"Well I'll be!" Shanks barked, glancing at the poster of the "Cat Burglar" in his First Mate's hand. "So much for being the Free-est Man in the World! At least she's a looker." Reaching out, the Yonko grabbed a flagon and filled it with beer from a nearby barrel. "This calls for a celebration!"

"Were you not hungover from the party you obviously just finished?" Mihawk quirked an eyebrow, barely shifting as the pirate captain threw his lone arm around his shoulder.

"But now we've got an even better reason to party! To Luffy's lost innocence and his lost freedom!"

"CHEERS!"

 **Fin**


	85. Bonus Chapter: Captain Wallace

**Hello, all! It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm afraid this isn't a chapter, not a real one anyway. It's kind of a side story I decided to make for shits and giggles, but I hope you all will enjoy it. Thriller Bark is still not coming out the way I want it to and being in college isn't helping with that, but I decided that you all deserved _something_ after all this time. I've had this for a while now for a time such as this, so here it is! If it makes it any funnier, the Marine Captain and his lieutenant in this are me and my best friend respectively.**

* * *

 **Bonus Chapter**

 **High Seas Hijinks:**  
 **Proof**

(Set after Skypia)

"Pirates!" a voice shouted, echoing over the softly-rolling waves of the ocean. "You are under arrest! Surrender peacefully and you will not be harmed! You have my word as Marine Captain Wallace of division 5-17! This is your last warning!"

All activity on the Going Merry slowed to a stop at the announcement, each crewmember glancing at each other in confusion. Coby, who had been placed on rigging duty by Zoro to train his speed and dexterity, eyed the seas around them until his gaze fell upon the Marine ship trailing them. Said ship was completely average for its make and model, the only difference being the dolphin figurehead on the front and the numbers "5-17" painted as background for the Marine logo on the sails.

"Incoming Marines, 6 o'clock!" Coby called down, jumping from the lines and rolling away his extra momentum.

"We know!" Usopp yelled.

"If you do not comply," Captain Wallace's voice called, "then we will be forced to attack! This is your last warning!"

"Don't you just love how they always think they're going to win?" Amy smirked, her umbrella shading her bikini-clad form as she lounged on a beach chair, reading through chocolate recipes from a cooking magazine. "I don't know which is worse, their true confidence or Long-Nose's lack thereof."

"Now now," Gin chuckled, examining his newly-golden-capped weighted tonfa from where he was polishing them on the deck. "They've never met a crew like us before. I'm sure their captain is some sort of big shot in these waters."

"Wake me up when it's dinnertime," Zoro yawned beside him. "Or if you get some booze off of their ship."

"We are running a little low on provisions," Sanji muttered.

"But they have way more cannons that we do!" Usopp fretted.

"So?" Luffy asked even as a cannonball from the Navy ship splashed into the water off the port bow, dousing Zoro. The green-haired man didn't so much as twitch in his sleep.

"That was your last warning!" Wallace's voice yelled.

"Keep it down out there!" Nami shouted from within her map room. "I'm trying to finish my map of Skypia and if you morons make me ruin it, I'll send you all there the hard way!"

"Nami-swan's voice is beautiful when she's threatening us~!"

"Hey, Captain Luffy?" Coby asked, distracting Luffy from whatever he was going to say to the cook. "Would you mind if I tried taking on these guys on my own?"

"Are you crazy?" Usopp gasped.

"Sure thing, Coby," Luffy answered with a shrug. "Why, though?"

"I want to test myself," the rosette answered. "After that stunt Gin pulled in Skypia, I feel like I need to prove myself to the crew, to show that I deserve a place here."

"You don't have to prove anything," Luffy began.

"But I feel like I do," Coby finished. "If not to you, then to myself. Please, at least let me try." Another cannonball hit the water, this time off the starboard side, splashing Usopp.

"That was your final warning!" Wallace repeated.

"So how are you going to get there, Coby?" Grace questioned. "We took down Usopp's giant slingshot during the party after we beat Eneru."

"Captain Luffy will throw me, obviously," Coby scoffed before freezing. "...Why was that sentence way too normal?"

"Here we go!" Luffy cheered, grabbing the hood of Coby's jacket and pulling him toward the mast. Luffy's other arm shot out, grabbing the top of the upper deck, roughly lining up with the Navy ship behind them.

"Wait!" Coby cried. "Wait, wait, waitwaitwa-!"

"Gum-Gum Catapult!"

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

Coby vanished as Luffy rebounded back onto the deck with a thump, the boy's scream echoing through the air. The wind whistled past the rosette's ears as he flew through the air, lucky enough that the patented Straw Hat misfortune® granted him an all-expenses-paid experience to his face meeting the wood of a Navy ship. It was a testament to Zoro's training methods that it was the wood that caved before Coby's face, the boy not even losing a drop of blood

"What the Hell?!" the majority of the marines gaped, staring at the pirate that had quite literally just fallen out of the sky.

"Surrender!" Wallace ordered Coby through his microphone. "This is your final warning!" Captain Wallace was a man of average height with short, light brown hair that rose in the front with a small cowlick from a widows peak. A pair of thick glasses sat on the man's nose, making his brown eyes seem far too large for his face. He had a lanky frame covered in khaki pants and a dark blue shirt with four dolphins arranged in a counterclockwise circle so their tail fins just touched. The tips of the left and right dolphins were covered my the Marine Captain's coat worn as a cape and what seemed to be orange tennis shoes covered his feet. His visible weapons included a bo staff that poked out over his right shoulder and a sword strapped to his hip, and he was using a blue umbrella as a cane, though it didn't appear like he needed it to walk.

That last one might not be a weapon, but you never knew with people like Amy around.

Next to Wallace stood a man who had more meat in his bones than his captain. This man had dark brown hair in a crew cut and dark eyes which stared off into the distance. His Marine uniform was normal save for all the blue being replaced with red. A katana in a black sheath hung at his side, bouncing in time with the tapping of his foot to some rhythm or another from the West Blue.

"Captain Wallace of the 5-17th, I take it?" Coby questioned, making eye contact with the first man.

"Tri-Horn Coby of the Straw Hat Pirates, I believe?" the marine all but parroted. "Are you a sacrifice?"

"Afraid not," the boy responded, growing into his Hybrid Mode and grabbing his swords. "I'm the calvary."

"Get him, men!" Wallace ordered, 20 or so of the marines on the deck pulling out their Marine standard-issue swords and charging.

"Dragon... Twister!" Coby spun, the small gale he created lifting a dozen marine grunts into the air. The rest stopped to stare at their flailing shipmates, awed by the fact that someone could do that.

"Impressive," Wallace noted. "I suppose it will take more skill to take you down. Lieutenant Kenneth!" The man beside him blinked. "Please deal with this intruder."

"When did he get here?" Lieutenant Kenneth gasped. "He's a dinosaur! That's so cool!"

"Slow, isn't he?" Coby commented.

"Not at all," Wallace denied. "In fact, he's quite intelligent. He just gets... distracted sometimes."

"I'll show you!" Kenneth declared. "No pirates will wreck our ship while I'm- Hey, look! A bird!" Lieutenant Kenneth actually looked up as a seagull landed on the mast before turning back to the Zoan. "Where was I? Oh! No pirates will wreck our ship while I'm around!" Pulling his katana from its sheath, Kenneth charged the pirate with an overhead swing.

Coby blocked with his left sword before spinning, smashing the blunt end of its pair into the marine's gut. Kenneth stumbled backwards a few steps, wheezing.

"Ow!" he grunted. "That hurt!"

"Isn't that the point of a fight?" the Zoan replied. "To hurt each other?" Kenneth did not respond and charged once more, this time coming in with a horizontal slash. Coby readied another block.

"Squirrel!" The marine's sudden outburst caught Coby by surprise, allowing the lieutenant's sword to scratch him as the man ran by to the railing of the ship, his eyes dashing around in search of the forest creature. "Wait a second," he blinked. "Squirrels don't live on the ocean!"

"No duh!" Coby nearly yelled. He was used to this crap from his Nakama, not the Marines. Taking a deep breath, Coby shrunk into human form and sprinted across the deck, shoulder checking the Marine Lieutenant before he could bring his sword up. The katana dropped to the deck, impaling the wood as its owner tripped over the railing and tumbled into the sea.

"Lieutenant Kenneth!" the other marines gasped, two of them diving over the side and a third dropping a ladder.

"Hmm," Captain Wallace hummed. "So you defeated my lieutenant. That is quite a feat and I commend you, but you should give up now. This is your final warning."

"Bring it on, marine," Coby stated. "I'm not afraid of you."

"Very well," Wallace replied, throwing his umbrella to the side and unsheathing his sword. It was a broadsword with a blade decorated with twelve symbols of different colors, some of these including a yellow lightning bolt, a green trident, a silver moon, and a golden sun. "If you do not fear me, then you will fear my blade! This is the Sword of the Gods, a weapon known in these waters for felling the likes of the infamous Phredd the Chihuahua and Monty the Python!"

"Are you done yet?" the pirate asked. "It's nearing dinnertime and we need to steal some of your food."

"Fine! Have at thee!" Wallace charged, his sword out as if meaning to stab the younger man. Coby didn't even blink, twisting the sword out of his opponent's hands in less than a second. The so-called Sword of the Gods clattered to the floor.

"Oh come on!" Coby complained childishly. "I thought the captain was supposed to be the strongest member of their crew!"

"So I embellished the tales of my swordplay a little bit," Wallace admitted sheepishly.

"Pointing your sword at your pets does not mean you felled them," a sopping-wet Kenneth supplied, wringing water out of his shirt by the ladder. "And didn't Phredd actually take it out of your- That cloud looks like a den-den mushi! And that one's a snake!"

"I will admit that my swordsmanship may not be at as high a level of your own... and that most pirates around here cower at my boasting and surrender by now... and that it MAY have ended with a stalemate in my duel against the infamous Phredd the Chihuahua... But!" He pulled the bo staff from his back, brandishing the wooden weapon with more confidence, falling into a basic stance with body turned to the right and the bo out and downward. "I have been practicing the art of the bo staff for many years! Wielding wooden weapons is in my roots; the techniques passed down in my family tree for each branch of weaponry!"

"Were all of those puns?" Coby demanded. "What is your family name, Captain Wallace?"

"...Wood..."

"Oh dear Goda," Coby sighed. "Wallace Wood and the Wood family wooden weaponry. And I thought my crew was crazy." He shook his head slowly. "I don't have time for this."

"Then attack me, pirate!" Wallace ordered. "I shall defeat you, for my bo is made of the densest walnut to be found within the Wood family's Family Woods and was crafted by the Wood family's finest and most wizened woodworkers! Now even the Wood family's famed woodpeckers could not peck a single hole through this fine walnut-wood weapon! Surrender now! This is your last warning!" Coby jumped in with a single, overhead slash, forcing the Marine Captain to raise his weapon and defend. Coby smirked.

"Tower Climb!" the rosette yelled, sweeping his free sword up between his opponent's hands, his Sabaku no Kiba slicing through the center of the Wood family's fine wooden weapon like butter. "And return!" Coby finished, both of his swords coming down to remove about eight inches from either end of the remainder of the weapon. Wallace gaped in shock as two pieces of his now-four-piece bo tumbled to the deck. "Are we done here?"

"...Yes," Wallace squeaked, shuffling over to his lieutenant. Putting two fingers in his mouth, Coby let out a sharp whistle, the Going Merry turning to sail toward the Marine ship in response. None of the marines resisted; for a single child pirate to best them all so easily was shameful and embarrassing.

"I told you not to attack the Straw Hat Pirates," Lieutenant Kenneth began. "I don't want to say I told you so, but I told you- Wally, that cloud totally looks like a monkey!"

"So, ah, for the record," Captain Wallace announced to his men, "we fought Straw Hat Luffy, and no one will say otherwise. Right?"

"Yes, sir!"

"At least I managed to scratch him," Kenneth boasted.

"Hey, Wallace," Coby called. "Do you have any booze on the ship? Zoro-sensei gets cranky if he doesn't have his booze."

"Of course not!" Wallace scoffed. "We Wood Family men and women carry not but the finest Wood family white wine from the Wood family winery! We make world-famous West Blue wine from wrangling only the ripest-!"

"I get it," Coby waved off. "What about meat?"

"This ship is stocked with the best of the Wood family's Family Woods' wild warthogs and wilderbeasts! Wondrous-!"

"Aaaaand you're done," Coby cut him off. Wallace opened his mouth to respond, likely with more W-based alliteration, but much to Coby's relief, the Going Merry chose that moment to pull up alongside the Marine ship, allowing Sanji and Gin to climb over the railing.

"He's all yours," the rosette stated with no room for argument, already making his way back to the Merry. "Don't ask him any questions about who he is." As soon as he was able, Coby jumped the railing, landing on the deck of the Merry.

"What's got him in a twist?" Gin questioned. "He didn't even look hurt badly. Whatever. Let's just grab the meat and alcohol and be done with it. Hey, you." He pointed at Kenneth. "Where's the good stuff?" Kenneth shrugged silently, gesturing at the captain beside him. "Come on," Gin ordered, now pointing at the captain. "Spill."

"I am Captain Wallace Wood...!"

 **Fin**

* * *

 **(So this is something that happened when I got really bored while procrastinating and decided to try an SI, but I didn't want to do a whole story. Solution? This. There are several hidden jokes in there than only people that actually know me would understand, but the name, though not my own, is connected and the "enemies" I/he mentioned felling were my pets Phredd (pronounced Fred) and Monty (a ball python). My real name does have to do with wood and you _wood_ not be _leaf_ the amount of puns I've heard and made about it. And then there's the fact that almost all of this was written just so I could make a pun about my username.)**


	86. The Offering and the Skeleton

**What's this? A new chapter? Amazing!**

 **To those people that PMed me, I said that I'd start the next arc before Christmas, didn't I? Well here you go! One chapter with a little bow... Not really, but you get it. Anyway, there's something at the bottom that I'm going to need help with, but I'll save that for later. Onwards!**

* * *

 **Chapter 84:**  
 **The Offering and the Skeleton**

"I'm sorry I ever doubted you, Captain," Merry sighed as she lounged on a raft in the Sunny's built-in pool while clad in a red one-piece bathing suit. Luffy was dangling his legs in the water as he watched Nami swimming laps, glancing at the ring that now glinted on his right ring finger every now and then. As terrible a parent figure Garp was, he still knew how to give gifts. He'd sent Luffy a package via Package Gull containing several hundred Beris, some new china, and a pair of brand-new wedding rings that, after being OKed by Franky as safe, were now worn by the Monkey D.s of the crew.

Usopp and Chopper sat on the railing to the side, fishing for things to put in the aquarium, and Grace was painting the two. Their shipwright was somewhere below them, building or fiddling with something, while Amy and Robin were tanning and using their charms to whittle things out of Sanji. The sounds coming from above them showed that Zoro, Coby, and Gin were sparring with each other in the crow's nest.

"What do you mean, Merry?" Luffy asked, tilting his head.

"I thought you were going to let me go after Enies Lobby," Merry conceded. "After you learned that my keel was broken and you decided to get a new ship, I was heartbroken, but I understood. I doubted that you would try to save me, even if you found out I was alive."

"That was pretty stupid of you, Merry," Luffy laughed. "I'd never leave a friend to die. Shishishi."

"You're right, Captain. That was stupid of me. Baahahaha!"

"You know you can just call me Luffy, right?" the rubber-man asked.

"I know," the wood fairy answered with a shrug, "but you've always been Captain Luffy to me. It's been that way since I could think."

"And when was that?" Nami questioned, finishing her laps and resting her arms on the edge of the pool. Luffy idly placed a hand on the navigator's head and began combing through her wet hair. "Since when have you been around?"

"Umm," Merry hummed. "I have small glimpses from entering the Grand Line. I know what Laboon looks like and I know we almost sunk from hitting him, but the details are really blurry."

"So you were already forming way back then?" Nami gasped.

Merry nodded. "I really didn't understand anything going on around me though. I only had one clear thought back then. The first big thing I remember clearly was meeting the captain's big brother Ace."

"That means you've been around since we got to Alabasta!" Nami gaped.

"Yeah," Merry agreed. "I think it got easier for me to think as the crew got bigger. More people means more bonds, I guess. It was really boring while you all were away, though. I almost attacked that ballet guy that came to get me until he yelled something about a 'flower of friendship' and keeping me from the Marines to his crew."

"What was your first thought?" Luffy inquired.

"Nakama," the wood fairy answered without hesitation. Luffy's face split into a grin. Up above them, one of the windows in the crow's nest shattered, dropping a human Coby onto the deck with a thump.

"Ow!" Coby yelled, sitting up and pulling shards of broken glass from his back. "You didn't have to hit me that hard, dammit!"

"Language!" Usopp chastised for Merry's sake.

"Sorry about that, Coby!" Gin called down.

"Hey!" Franky protested as a hatch opened and his head popped out, the thump pulling him from his workshop. "You guys have had this ship for only a week and you're already breaking things? _Super_ not cool!"

"Don't look at me," Coby denied, standing up and rubbing his sore tailbone. "Gin's the one that threw me out the window."

"And you're the one that tried to block instead of dodging!"

"Hey, guys!" Usopp called from the railing. "There's a barrel out on the ocean!"

"So?" Sanji asked.

"It's got a banner that reads 'treasure'!"

"Pull it in!" Nami ordered.

"I'll get it!" Merry offered. She hopped off of the raft and swam to the railing. Stretching out her senses, Merry latched onto the barrel, the wooden holder changing course to head toward the Thousand Sunny. Raising her hands, Merry pulled the barrel into the air and levitated it onto the deck.

"That's so cool!" Luffy and Chopper cried at the same time, stars in their eyes. "How'd you do it?!"

"She's been doing that since Water 7," Usopp deadpanned.

"Obviously, Ms. Ship can manipulate any object that is commonly found on sailing vessels," Robin offered, not even looking up from her book. "It's most likely a common power amongst wood fairies."

"Treasure offering to the Sea Gods," Grace read aloud from the banner attached to the barrel. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's an old practice," Nami explained. "Sailors sometimes fill barrels with preserved meats or alcohol to appease their deities in the hope of safe sailing."

"Meat?" Luffy questioned with a sparkle in his eye.

"Alcohol?" Zoro asked from the crow's nest, sticking his head out of the broken window.

"It's tradition to release another barrel after using the one you pick up so as to not anger the gods," Nami continued.

"Yeah, but we know that God's a dick and that we killed him," Gin grunted, dropping to the deck and rolling his momentum away. "I say we use it anyway."

"I'm for it," Amy nodded.

"Then let's open this puppy!" Franky yelled, pulling out a crowbar and jamming one end under the lid. He shoved down on his side, the lip popping off with little resistance. There was no booze inside, but a red firework shot into the air before exploding.

"That's disappointing," Luffy whined. "We can't eat fireworks."

"Who would stuff a firework in a barrel?" Usopp gasped.

"Maybe it was a trap and there are bounty hunters coming after us now," Robin commented with a polite smile, turning a page in her book.

"Robin, that's scary!" Chopper cried.

"No time to think about that!" Nami yelled. "There's a storm coming! Get ready!" The words had barely registered to the other pirates when storm clouds appeared seemingly out of nowhere, bringing pelting rain and freezing winds with them.

"Guys!" Nami screamed. "Get to the sails! Merry, can you work the rudder?"

"The wind is too strong!" Merry cried, her face scrunched with concentration. "The rudder won't move!"

"Damn!" Nami cursed.

"Don't worry!" Franky yelled. "We're super prepared for this! Sunny Dock System: Channel 0! Activate the Sunny's paddle-boat mode!" He pulled a lever on the Sunny's steering wheel, turning two dials until they each read 0. Paddles spread out from the end of the ship and lowered into the water where they began spinning. The Thousand Sunny lurched forward and sped toward the closest sign of light.

* * *

"At least the rain is gone," Grace muttered, trying to be optimistic as she eyed her ruined painting of Usopp and Chopper fishing while wringing out her hat. She had been forced to change out of her regular attire due to her clothing getting soaked by the rain, so she now wore a white, long-sleeve t-shirt with crossed paintbrushes, an orange skirt with horizontal green stripes, and a pair of legging, one leg black and the other white. She'd chosen red hiking boots as footwear and her red hair was done in a French braid rather than her usual twin braids.

The Thousand Sunny had managed to escape the storm, but there was still no sun anywhere to be found. Gray clouds and a seemingly impenetrable fog surrounded the ship, obscuring any objects more than 50 meters away which, for a ship, was really close.

"I don't like the looks of this place," Usopp cowered.

"Me either," Chopper agreed.

"Do you know where we are?" Franky asked with an evil smile. "Granny Kokoro loved to tell stories about this place. This area has been known for mysterious disappearances for a long, long time. We're in the Florian Triangle."

"Over 100 ships vanish here every year with no explanation," Amy added, enjoying the looks of terror on the sniper and the doctor from where she stood next to her sister. She had also been forced to change and had replaced her yellow bikini for a yellow sundress with a pair of jean shorts underneath and a pair of pale flats. Her earrings were still in, but her hat was absent. She still had her normal umbrella. "For all we know, we could be next."

"Stop it!" Usopp and Chopper wailed.

"You know it's all in good fun," Gin chuckled. He was dressed in a black t-shirt under an unzipped, dark blue, hoodless jacket. His regular headband, or more likely one of his replacements, held his hair out of his face. A pair of dark slacks covered his legs and just touched the tops of his black sneakers.

"It's not funny!"

"We may be nothing but blood splatters on the walls within a day if even some of the stories are true," Robin commented.

"You're not helping!"

"You know what they say?" Zoro smirked. "They said that this area is haunted by the souls of the damned pirates who died, each of them tied to their drifting ships for all eternity."

"Ahhhh!" The two most cowardly pirates panicked, fleeing into the ship.

"Isn't your uncle brave, or what?" Coby rolled his eyes, directing his sentence toward Merry. Coby, too, had changed his clothing. He now wore a pair of jeans and a bright red, v-neck shirt under a green hooded jacket. His regular sandals were on his feet and a shark-tooth necklace he'd found in some of what remained of the Rainbow Mist's spoils hung around his neck. Finally, his Sabaku no Kiba blades were in their normal spots on his back.

"I don't think you have a leg to stand on talking about cowardice, Coby," Nami put in. "I do believe you had his level of courage when we fought Buggy back in the East Blue."

"I was a kid back then!" Coby protested. "I've grown up!"

"I'm sure you think that, too," Merry whispered into Grace's ear, causing the girl to flush and try to stutter out a denial. "Baahahaha!" Merry wore simple clothes including tan khaki pants and a white t-shirt that showed the red one-piece bathing suit she had on underneath. She was also wearing a pair of white sneakers and had both her Heart and hammer tucked in the pockets of her pants and a grey jacket that was partially zipped up.

"Alright," Nami sighed, "back to business. So we're stuck in the Florian Triangle where it's said that the weather is even stranger than the rest of the Grand Line. There are stories of ghosts and talking skeletons, and we have no way to see where we're going. What do we do?"

"I wanna go find a talking skeleton!" Luffy yelled, his arm thrust in the air. Nami punched him over the head.

"If anything, those skeletons will have to come to us!"

 **Yohohoho yohoho-ho~**

"What was that?" Coby questioned, drawing a sword. The rest of the crew armed themselves, even Usopp and Chopper coming out covered in anti-ghost stuff such as crosses and garlic.

 **Yohohoho yohoho-ho~**

The fog seemed to part, a galleon-sized ship slowly fading into few through the dense mist. The ship was in terrible shape, gouges missing from nearly every part of the ship from bow to stern. The sails were old and ratty, torn to strips that swayed in the breeze, only enough left together for the jolly roger to be seen. Merry shivered as the giant ship grew closer, passing the Sunny with a dozen feet to spare. On the railing above them was something, a skeleton with a black afrskao and a top hat with a teacup in its bony fingers. The teeth of the skeleton separated as it began to sing slowly.

 **Gather up all of the crew~**  
 **It's time to ship out Bink's brew~**  
 **Yohohoho Yohoho-ho~**

Slowly, the ship and the singing skeleton passed the gaping pirates and began floating away.

"That's so cool!" Luffy yelled. "Merry! Grab that ship and pull us alongside!"

"Yes, Captain," Merry dutifully nodded, throwing ropes out from the Thousand Sunny to latch onto the end of the larger ship. The ropes knotted themselves before tightening, but Merry shivered and fell to her knees as soon as they did so.

"Merry!" Usopp cried worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"That ship," she muttered, just loud enough that the others could hear here. "She's seen so much pain. She had a klabautermann a long time ago; I can still feel her, barely, but she's lost her consciousness. She's there, but she's gone. Her crew is gone."

"Luffy, this is a bad idea," Nami warned.

"Relax," Luffy waved off. "Worst case scenario, we beat up the skeleton and sail away."

"I am not going up there!" Usopp shouted. "And neither is Merry!"

"I don't wanna go either!" Chopper added.

"I'll join you, Captain," Robin offered.

"I'll go, too," Zoro nodded. "I'd be interesting to see if I can cut ghosts."

"Anyone else?" Luffy asked. The rest of the crew shook their heads, not particularly inclined to jump in. Luffy and his tag-alongs headed to the larger ship and began climbing. Luffy was the first one over the railing, finally getting a good look at the skeleton.

It stood at eight feet and was dressed in ragged and torn clothing that used to be a nice suit. The jacket was left open, showing that the being had no undershirt to hide its spine and the top of its pelvis. The creature's ribs were hidden from view by a powder-blue ascot and a top hat sat upon its afro. A purple cane rested next to it. The skeleton was sitting, calmly sipping tea as it watched the trio scurry over the railing.

"It's even cooler up close!" the Straw Hat captain gasped, a smile stretching his face.

"I would rather not be an 'it'," the skeleton stated. "I would prefer to be a 'he'."

"Wow! A talking, singing skeleton! Do you poop?"

"That's not a question you need to ask, moron!" Zoro chastised.

"Indeed, I do," the skeleton answered.

"What the Hell?!" Zoro yelled. "You didn't need to answer! There are so many questions that should have come before that one!"

"Oh," the skeleton gasped, his eye sockets landing on Robin. "What a beautiful woman. If it isn't too much trouble, would you be so kind as to show me your panties?"

"No." Even as Robin answered, Zoro's sword flashed out to cut the talking skeleton's skull off.

"Yohohoho!" the skull laughed as his body bent down to pick the cranium up and replace it upon his spine. "Dear me, I thought you were going to kill me. Not that I can be killed since I'm already dead! Yohohoho! Skull joke!"

"Shishishi," Luffy laughed. "You're funny! Join my crew!"

"Luffy!" Zoro shouted.

"Sure," the creature answered, ignoring Zoro's indignant protests or Robin's soft chuckling. With a grin splitting his face, Luffy ordered everyone back to the Sunny for dinner.

* * *

"What the Hell is that?!" most of the crew screamed as the talking, singing skeleton landed on the deck, a bag slung over its shoulder.

"He's our newest Nakama!" Luffy responded, causing Nami to punch him over the head for the second time that day. Chopper and Usopp ran around the deck like chickens with their heads cut off while Coby, Gin, Franky, Grace, and Amy were staring at either the undead thing or their pouting captain in shock.

"What? Happened?!" Sanji jumped Zoro. "I thought you went to keep him from doing anything stupid!" Zoro just hung his head in shame, Robin chuckling beside him.

"What a beautiful ship!" the skeleton marveled. "Is this deck real grass?"

"Sure is!" Franky boasted. "This is the Thousand Sunny, the _super_ best ship I've ever built.

"Marvelous! And what marvelous pirate beauties!" He shuffled over to Amy, Nami, and Grace. "If it isn't an inconvenience, would you three be so kind as to show me your panties?" The question was met with yelling and blows from Luffy, Nami, Amy, Gin, Sanji, and Coby, throwing the skeleton into the railing of the ship.

"Yohohoho! I felt that one in my bones!"

"What are you?" Merry asked, having stopped Usopp's panic to duck behind him. The skeleton stood and turned to face her and her uncle, Usopp bringing up a cross to try to ward him away.

"Oh, I haven't introduced myself, have I?" the skeleton blinked (or would have if he had eyelids!). "My name is Brook. It's a pleasure to meet you." Taking his top hat off, the newly-named Brook bowed before turning his head up to meet Merry's eyes. "And might I ask what you are? I don't believe I've ever met a person with sheep horns before. Perhaps you are a sheep Zoan?"

"Oh, I'm a wood fairy," Merry corrected, reaching out to gingerly shake Brook's offered hand. "You can call me Merry. I was the first ship of this crew."

"Don't tell him that!" Usopp yelled, picking Merry up and pulling her away from the skeleton. "He could use your name to drag you to the bottom of the ocean!"

"He could?" Chopper shouted, trying to hide behind Robin's legs and doing so backwards.

"How interesting," Brook hummed. "I'd heard stories of klabautermanns, but I never thought I'm meet one in person. You people seem like quite the group. I'd love to learn more about you over dinner."

"Do you cook?" Coby asked.

"Oh no," Brook shook his head. "I thought you all would."

"Don't just invite yourself!" Sanji cried.

"I'm afraid he didn't, Mr. Cook," Robin corrected. "Captain did."

"Sanji!" Luffy whined. "Food!"

"Yeah, yeah," the cook waved off. "Fine, we'll invite the thing. Come on."

 **End of Chapter 84**

* * *

 **So I said that I'd need help with something. I need you all to help me. I'm going to put a poll up on my profile for this, but I want you all to consider every pro and con to each side, please leave out most of your bias.**

 **Should Ace die?**

 **Pros: Ace lives. The Whitebeard Pirates probably won't fall apart, making it harder for Blackbeard to become the new Warlord. Ace returns to play a part in the New World.**

 **Cons: Luffy probably won't have the same amount of drive to become stronger over the time skip. Sabo may or may not remember. There will be no Flame-Flame Fruit for Dressrosa (so that would have to be almost entirely different, which would make that a lot harder on me). I'd have to characterize Ace later on, making it harder on me.**

 **Those are the pros and cons I could see, so leave me a review or go vote on the poll. And as always...**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	87. Of Curses and Ghosts

**Merry Christmas, everyone! Or Happy Holidays. I celebrate Christmas, but I'm not one for holiday specials, so you all get a new chapter. To be honest, I had so much trouble writing this chapter because it's my least favorite arc to date, and because of that, I'm very unsure about this Arc as a whole. Still, the story must be told, so on to the chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 85:**  
 **Of Curses and Ghosts**

"This is wonderful!" Brook cried, tears impossibly leaking from his eye sockets as he continued to match Luffy's eating pace. "I haven't had food in decades!"

"Eat all you want!" Luffy stated with a mouth full of food. "We have plenty!"

"Moron," Nami sighed as Luffy's arm shoots over her plate so steal something from Gin.

"And yet-" Amy began as Gin stabbed at the captain's hand with a fork.

"I'm the one married to him," Nami cut her off, ignoring Luffy's cry of pain as his arm snaps back into place to smack him in the face, knocking him off his chair. "Yeah, I know. We've been over this."

"Oh, this is absolutely delightful!" Brook shouted. "Is there any dessert? I've barely had any sweets since setting sail over 60 years ago."

"Try some of the lemon cake," Amy suggested as Luffy pulls himself back into his chair. "I made it myself."

"Oh, no thank you," the skeleton denied. "I am not a fan of lemons."

"Luffy, he's not allowed to join," Amy declared. "He doesn't like lemons!"

"So Mr. Brook," Coby prodded. "Have you always been a skeleton, or...?" He trailed off.

"Oh, heavens no," Brook answered, swallowing (somehow). "A long time ago, back when I was still alive, I ate the Revive-Revive Fruit."

"So you're a Devil Fruit user?" Merry asked, swinging her feet from her spot on Usopp's lap, an empty salad bowl on the table before her. She ignored Usopp's angry cry as a piece of meat vanished from his plate.

"Indeed," the skeleton nodded. "My Fruit did precious little for me while I was alive, save for costing me the ability to swim. I used to lead a royal army for my birth country in the West Blue before I retired and became a pirate. We had many wonderful adventures until we had the bad luck of running into a much stronger pirate crew in these waters. The whole crew, including me, were killed."

"Don't you dare!" Amy yelled, the handle of her umbrella denting the table where she just missed the captain's hand. Said hand swiped a lemon tart from her dish. "Damn it!"

"Language!" Usopp yelled, covering Merry's ears.

"Shitty Rubber!" Sanji cursed, jumping over Nami to ax kick Luffy, the captain still stuffing the pastry in his mouth.

"You too!"

"So-" Coby prodded, actively ignoring the mini brawl.

"But!" Brook cut him off. "Upon my death was when the true power of my Devil Fruit manifested, calling my soul back from beyond the grave!" He took a breath. "Unfortunately, the fog around here is so thick, poor little Soul Brook got lost. I didn't find my body for a whole year, and when I did, there was nothing left of me but bones!"

"You got lost, huh?" Luffy blinked, is head retaking its normal shape. "That means you must be stupid like Zoro!"

"Hey!" the swordsman protested.

"Geeze," Franky shook his head, Luffy's hand bouncing off of his own where he'd placed it to block his plate. "Devil Fruits are weird."

"Tell me about it," Gin muttered, shifting his headband. "I mean, several of us here break the laws of physics on a daily basis without any reasoning."

"Like my big sister," Grace offered, not flinching as Luffy's arm sailed over her head, grabbing Coby's fork out of his hand. "She can change the mass of her body or anything she's touched, but that shouldn't be possible."

"Indeed," Brook agreed as Coby dove over the table to retrieve his fork from the captain, "but even amongst Devil Fruits, the ability to live two lives is quite strange." He glanced at the brawl, the second one in as many minutes, taking place on his right. "Is this normal for you all?"

"Yeah," most of the crew responded in a tired voice, Robin giggling over the sound.

"Don Luffy's actually been more well-behaved than normal," Gin added.

"Why do you still have hair?" Nami suddenly asked, catching the skeleton off guard.

"What?"

"Why do you still have hair?" the navigator repeated. "If you were dead for a year, your hair shouldn't still be around."

"Nami!" Amy admonished. "You can't just ask someone why they have hair!"

"I have very strong roots," Brook explained, squeezing his afro.

"That doesn't even make sense!" Usopp complained.

"Does this mean that you aren't a ghost?" Chopper questioned hopefully, oblivious to the fact that Merry was now swiping bits of his own salad.

"Dear me, no!" Brook denied. "I hate ghosts!"

"I'm still not sure you have a leg to stand on, there," Amy pointed out, pulling out a hand mirror. "I mean, have you looked in a mirror lately?"

"No!" Brook cowered, turning away from the reflective surface. "Please get rid of the mirror!"

"What's wrong?" Usopp questioned, putting Merry down and walking to stand beside the skeleton. He glanced at the thing in Amy's hands. "Ahhh! Why don't you appear in the mirror?!"

"Vampire!" Chopper panicked before pointing at the floor by the skeleton's feet. "He doesn't even have a shadow!" His declaration caused the rest of the crew to stand, making various noises ranging from screaming to bleating to a strangled roar that devolved into a growl. Gin pulled off his rubber-lined headgear.

"You're a vampire?!" Luffy gasped, throwing a growling Coby back across the table. "That's awesome!"

"He's not a vampire," Grace waved off skeptically as Coby landed in his chair and toppled backwards. "He doesn't have fangs. Everyone knows vampires have fangs."

"Indeed," Robin agreed. "Besides, the only known population of vampires are on the other side of the Red Line."

"Wait, what?" Usopp questioned, staring at Robin's blank face. He couldn't tell if she was lying or not.

"Care to explain?" Coby growled at Brook as he stood up, his eyes narrowing, his hands moving toward his swords, and his horns beginning to grow. Brook said nothing; rather, he sat down and took a sip of his tea.

"Now's not the time for that!" Sanji yelled.

"What I told you before was true," Brook sighed, setting his cup down. "Why I lost my shadow is another story entirely. You see, my shadow was stolen from me several years ago, cursing me to forever live in the darkness."

"Stop being so damn poetic and _super_ tell us what happened already," Franky commented.

"I would rather not," Brook refused. "The man who took my shadow is more of a monster than a man. And without my shadow, I cannot exist in the world of light. Similarly, my reflection cannot be seen in any mirror, nor can my image be captured in any photograph."

"What happens if you step into the light?" Merry asked, no one noticing how pale Coby had suddenly become or that his horns were now receding. He was getting an idea of who or what they might end up facing if Luffy decided to step in.

It wasn't good, and Luffy _always_ decided to step in.

"Every bit of me that the light touched would burn away until it was naught but ash," Brook answered grimly. "Years ago, I watched a man afflicted with the same curse as I go mad and run into the sunlight. His dying screams still haunt me today." Brook stood and turned toward Luffy as the rest of the crew slowly replaced their weapons. "Luffy-san," he began. "I'm honored and delighted that you would invite me to join your crew, but I'm afraid I must decline."

"But why?" the captain whined.

"As I said before, if I come into contact with sunlight, I will burn away until nothing remains. As much as my now-nonexistent heart yearns to join you, it would only be until I inevitably meet my end within the rays of the sun. The only reason I've lived this long is because the thick fog in this area protects me. And believe me, I intend to get my shadow back one day, but I'm prepared to die fighting the man that stole it." He breathed and continued.

"Some would claim that a long life is a curse, and I might agree with them. You don't know what it's like, drifting on an uncontrollable ship, nothing to keep you company but the memories of your long-dead friends and crewmates, wanting to die every day but not having the guts to throw yourself overboard for decades. Now, I know that it was worth it. I've met wonderful people like you! And I still have a chance to return! To return to my friend whom we left behind! Yohohoho! Yohohoho! Yoho yoho, yohohoho!"

"He's going crazy!" Sanji yelled, falling into a fighting stance. Brook suddenly stopped and turned, bending down to pull something out of the bag he'd brought with him. It was a violin.

"Why don't you let me play you a song?" Brook asked, heafting the violin to his face and resting the bow over the strings. "I was a musician on my last crew, after all."

"You're a musician, too?!" Luffy cried. "Hurry up and join us already!"

"Yohohoho! How about- AHHHH!" Brook fell backwards, the instrument falling to the floor. The crew stood again, each grabbing their weapons in preparation of a fight. Brook continued to cower, his eye sockets locked onto something by the far wall. "G-g-g-ghost!"

"Ghost!" Usopp and Chopper echoed, falling to the floor to cower with the undead pirate. The ghost in question was sticking halfway out of the wall, showing a defined head with black holes for eyes and large lips. Two stubby arms protruded from the body and a pink tongue stuck out of its mouth.

"It is a ghost!" Luffy cheered. "That's so cool! Hey, Nami? Can we keep it?"

"Of course we can't keep it," the navigator scolded as the apparition floated the rest of the way out of the wall.

"Negative~ Negative~" the ghost chanted in a higher voice, floating through the dinning room and out through the other wall. Just as it disappeared, a tremor raced through the ship, sending silverware and cookware to the floor.

"Oh no," Brook gasped, launching himself up and toward the door to the back of the ship. "Oh no! Oh no no no!"

"What is it?" Gin asked, the crew following the skeleton out the door. There appeared to be a set of giant teeth rising out of the water directly behind the Thousand Sunny. The boat Brook had come on still bobbed in the water to the right since Merry had tied the Sunny to it.

"What is that?" Usopp demanded, grabbing Merry and scooping her into his arms for protection (for himself or her was unknown). "Did we just get eaten by something again?!"

"Again?" Chopper, Robin, Franky, and Merry questioned. None of them had been on the crew (or in Merry's case, fully sentient) before the Island Eater had eaten them after Little Garden and those from before remembered Laboon.

"It's a gate," Brook whispered. He bolted back into the dinning room, flew into and through Chopper's doctor's office, and came out to stand before the railing over the grassy deck. His gaze landed on the massive form in the mist. "Oh no. Thriller Bark."

"That's not an ominous name at all," Amy sassed, alerting Brook that the others had followed him once more.

"You folks didn't happen to pick up a barrel on your way here, did you?" Brook questioned.

"We did," Franky answered.

"It was a trap. They've been watching us this entire time. Now, what you see before you is the Ghost Island of the Florian Triangle, Thriller Bark."

"It's not showing up on the Log Pose," Nami muttered.

"It wouldn't," Brook nodded. "You see, this island was originally from the West Blue."

"I think I know who we're up against," Coby stated, his ashen face showing how terrified he was, though he held his composure much better than he would have at any time before. "It's not good."

"Who's ass am I kicking today?" Luffy asked, his knuckles cracking.

"I'm not sure who will be the one getting their ass kicked," Coby whispered fearfully. "All the clues fit: stolen shadows, a ghost island, the name Thriller Bark. It has to be him."

"Who is it?" Zoro demanded. "Spit it out, Shrimp."

"It's one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea: Gekko Moria." The reaction was instantaneous. Nearly everyone panicked, only the Heartless Trio of Zoro, Amy, and Gin, as well as Luffy, Robin, and Coby not moving. The others either tripped over themselves in shock or tried to take cover behind something. Brook whirled around and stared at the rosette (though he did not have eyes to stare) and gawked at him while ignoring the artist who had planted herself behind the pale Zoan.

"Another Warlord, huh?" Luffy chuckled, shifting the skeleton's attention from Coby to him. "I wonder if this gecko is a bigger asshole than Crocodile was."

"What do you mean _another_ Warlord," Franky gaped, speaking the question that Brook had been trying to get out. "Just what kind of crew have I _super_ gotten myself involved in?"

"We haven't gotten around to telling you that, have we?" Gin chuckled. "Here's the short version. Crocodile was trying to overthrow a kingdom, Don Luffy befriended the princess of the kingdom, and then he kicked the sand-man out of the kingdom. It was really just a warm up before we went to Heaven and killed God."

"Rein yourself in, Gin," Zoro chastised, the handle of Wado Ichimonji hitting the human lightning-man. "You keep talking about killing God. That happened months ago."

"I'm proud of it," Gin defended. "Sue me."

"As amazing as that sounds," Brook interjected, "it is time we part ways." The skeleton moved back into the dining hall to retrieve his purple cane, but left his violin behind. As he returned, the pirates watched in awe as he jumped from the second-story deck to the top of the figurehead's mane. "I've had a wonderful time with you people, but I request that you turn around and flee while you still can. I know not if I will ever leave this island, but here's to hoping that we will meet again somewhere on the high seas! Yohohoho!" The undead man jumped after tipping his top hat, flipping backwards off of the ship while still laughing.

"Wait!" Coby yelled. "You can't swim!"

"He's gonna drown!" Franky shouted. Before the rest of the crew could move, a mist was kicked up from the sea along the side of the ship. The skeleton, still laughing, was running on top of the water.

"Holy cow!" Grace gasped. "I didn't think that was possible."

"That is surprising," Gin admitted, glancing over at the rest of the crew. "We aren't leaving, are we, Don Luffy?" The captain didn't answer, but the twinkle in his eye said enough.

"Guys," the teen smiled. "I smell adventure."

 **End of Chapter 85**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **And if you haven't yet, remember to go vote on the poll for Ace's fate! For all you know, he could live... But then again, how drastically would that change the future? Would Luffy fight Doflamingo with the same intensity if he didn't try to offer Ace's legacy as a prize? Would Luffy become as strong as he did without Jinbe's words of "what's left?" You decide!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	88. The Island

**Good news, everyone! This Christmas, I got one of the best Christmas gifts ever! _A new car!_...**

 **Not really, but I did get something as good if not better. I got my first piece of fanart! Only took me till Thriller Bark, but a huge shout out to Dojoboyred for drawing my Coby for the Water 7 arc! You can find his drawing on deviant art at **

**art/Pirate-Coby-Water-7-Arc-721816623**

 **Everyone give him a big round of applause and three thumbs up! Yay!**

 **In other news, if anyone would like to make more fanart for me or an Omake or anything like that, you are fully welcome to and, in fact, I would love to see what you come up with!**

* * *

 **Chapter 86:**  
 **The Island**

"Guys," the teen smiled. "I smell adventure."

"Nooo," the Coward Trio whined, crocodile tears in their eyes.

"Yes!" Merry cheered. "My first adventure as a member!"

"This is the _super_ perfect time to show you what I have in Channel 2!" Franky smirked.

"Oh, what's in Channel 2?" Luffy asked, his eyes shining. Usopp and Chopper wiggled their way over, their eyes shining as well at the thought of a cool, new toy.

"As you all know," Franky began, "the Thousand Sunny is equipped with a _super_ unique docking system with six different docks. Two of them, the ones marked 0, are the Sunny's paddle-boat features. Dock 1 contains Nami's waver which I had wanted to style into a _super_ rocking horse, but _no,"_ Franky turned around and pouted, crossing his oversized arms.

"For the last time," Gin sighed, him having been the one to catch the cyborg in the act of inspecting said waver, "that's the Donna's personal craft. You can't touch it without permission."

"Uh, Franky?" Amy pressed. "The docks?"

"Right, anyway, while what I have in docks 3 and 4 are a _super_ secret, now is the time to show off Channel 2. I'll need four volunteers." Excited, Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, Nami, and Merry raised their hands. Leaving the captain, Franky took the rest of them down into the bowels of the ship through a hatch in the lawn. He returned a second later and ran to the steering wheel where he pulled the lever to release whatever was in Dock 2.

"I present to you the _super_ Ladybug II!" A small boat pulled out of the larger ship, the four pirates aboard. The boat was shaped like its namesake, a tarp roof painted red with black spots in its up position. The sides of the boat were wide, giving the tiny ship a rounder shape, all of which was hidden from above by the tarp which was connected to poles at the front and a storage roll at the back. Nami was at the wheel with Chopper next to her and Usopp and Merry in the back, though they could not be seen.

"That's so cool!" Luffy shouted. "I want to ride it!" Franky watched his smaller creation sail around, a smile on his face.

"Why is it called 'two'?" Gin questioned. "We didn't have a Ladybug I."

"That's its number in the Dock System," Franky answered. "It's just the official name. I was going to call it the Going Merry II or the Mini Merry, but I didn't think that would be fair to our resident fairy."

"It's perfect," Coby stated, eyeing the vessel as Nami's excited calls reached the ship. Suddenly, the water began to churn, waves rising out of the water to push the Ladybug away from the Sunny. The mothership shook, those aboard losing their balance as the anchors dropped into the water. When the pirates got back up, the Ladybug and her passengers had vanished into the mist.

"Nami!" Luffy called out worriedly.

"Nami-swan!" Sanji cried. "Merry-chan!"

"Oh dear," Robin sighed in a flat voice, propping her head on her hand. "Let's hope they don't get ripped to shreds, eaten, and digested by Sea Kings."

"Robin!" Amy chastised. Next to her, Sanji stripped off his jacket and footwear.

With a running start, Sanji leapt over the railing toward where the Ladybug had last been seen, crying out "Nami-Swaaaaan!" He stopped about a foot away, all of his forward momentum halted through unknown means before gravity took hold. He fell, pivoting around his foot before smacking into the side of the ship. Dazed and confused, Sanji could only feel the wind as whatever it was that had him lifted his body up, spun him around, and threw him back at the other pirates. Zoro pulled Robin out of the way, leaving Gin to take the flying chef.

"Having problems, Dartbrow?" Zoro teased.

"Shut up," Sanji shot back, pushing off of his electrical friend. "You saw what happened to me."

"Yeah, yeah," the swordsman waved off, not noticing that one of his weapons was slowly wiggling free. With a sudden jerk, Zoro's cursed Kitetsu III freed itself and flew into the air where it spun several times before coming down toward the chef and chief-of-staff. Sanji dove out of the way while Gin all but ripped his headband off, the sword stabbing through his electrical body.

"Watch it, Moss Head!" Sanji growled as Gin rolled away from the sword and reapplied his headwear. "What the Hell were you thinking?!"

"It wasn't me!" Zoro denied in confusion, carefully approaching the sword stuck in the deck.

"Kyaa!" Amy cried out, struggling against something the others couldn't see with her arms crossed over her chest. The sound of a growling animal filled the air as a long, wet, and rough _thing_ licked the Devil Fruit user's collarbone. "Something's got me!"

"Big Sister!" Grace yelled, flinging paint behind the blonde. Whatever had her let go and retreated before the paint could hit, the chemical-infused liquid continuing its path to land on Franky's leg.

"Ow!" the cyborg wailed. "Why and I crying?!"

"You're made of metal!" Coby yelled. "That shouldn't affect you!"

"This isn't good," Zoro stated, the growling starting up once again. "There's something here."

"A mystery thing," Luffy muttered, surprisingly serious. "We've got a mystery thing on our hands."

* * *

"Something's here," Usopp muttered, trying his best to cower behind Merry as the little Klabautermann strutted forward without a care, her white hair flopping this way and that around her curly horns as she took in the scenery of the spooky island. Behind them, Nami and Chopper clung to each other as they shuffled to keep up with the sniper and fairy.

"This place looks so dead," Merry announced. "There could be so many monsters hiding in these woods that could attack us at any moment... I love it!"

"Why?" Chopper moaned. "It's scary!"

"That's why it's so exciting!" Merry chirped, spreading her arms. "It was so boring as a ship, being left behind while you all went off on your adventures. Now I'm here, exploring these creepy woods on my own two feet. I don't think I'll ever get enough of this!" She stopped, Usopp bumping into her.

"Why'd you stop?" the sniper questioned.

"Stairs," the little girl answered, gesturing forward to the stone steps that lead into the darkness before them. Dark stone walls rose up on either side, plunging the bottom in darkness. A smile stretched across the fairy's face. "Let's follow them!"

"No!" Usopp cried. "We don't know what's down there!"

"That's what makes it fun!" Merry chirped again.

"We should just go back to the Ladybug and meet up with the others on the Sunny!"

"That's boring, Uncle Usopp," Merry whined, sounding like Luffy. "You know Captain Luffy will have us storm this island to help Brook get his shadow back anyway. We're like the advance party."

"I don't wanna party on this island," Chopper cried, misunderstanding their newest member's words. "I'd rather party on the Sunny."

"Let's go!" Pulling her wooden hammer from a pocket on the right side of her pants, Merry gestured forward and started descending.

"Merry, get back here!" Usopp shouted, sounding more like an overprotective father than an honorary uncle. He scrambled down after the girl, Nami and Chopper following lest they be left behind. They reached the bottom, old skulls and bones crunching under their feet.

"Oh!" Merry gasped. "Skeletons! Last time I saw these we ended up going to Skypia. That's a good sign."

"No it's not!" the other three wailed. Merry ignored them and continued forward.

"Merry!" Usopp yelled. "Get back here or you're grounded!"

"You can't ground me, Uncle Usopp!" Merry called back without breaking stride. "You need a beach to ground a ship!" The sniper ran to catch the fairy.

"She has Amy's sass and Robin's intelligence," Nami moaned. "And of course they'd work together. I'm just glad she doesn't seem to have any of Sanji's pervertedness." The quartet continued through the creepy ravine.

Grrrrrr. Something growled in the distance, five eyes opening to glow gold in the dark: two pairs and a single eye to the left. The creature stepped in to the moonlight, revealing it to be a giant beast with three heads. The beast, which stood about as tall as Franky, was colored mostly blue with yellow hair and stood on four legs. The head on the left was orange, a sharp contrast to the blue of the other two head, and had bandages covering one of its eyes. Scars and stitches covered the monster and divided the changes in color, an 84 sticking out on the orange of its left side. The beast padded forward on four paws, three yellow, furry tails flicking behind it as it growled.

"Finally!" Merry cheered. "Something to fight!" She raised her hammer and prepared to charge. The other three had other ideas. Usopp grabbed Merry and he, Nami, and Chopper in his Walk Point bolted back the way they had come.

"What the Hell is a Cerberus doing here?!" Usopp cried, the monster giving chase with alternating barks and yips.

"What's a Cerberus?!" Nami screamed.

"It's said to guard the Underworld!" Usopp answered. "Stop struggling, Merry!"

"I wanna fight it!" Merry yelled. "I'll kick its ass once per head!"

"Merry!" the sniper chastised. "Language!"

"Woof Woof Raow! Woof Woof Raow!"

"Wait a second," Chopper muttered. "I'm on to you! One of your heads is a fox head!"

"Raow..." the Cerberus whined, stopping. The pirates slowed to a stop and looked over at the crying dog/fox.

"I think that might have been a sore spot," Usopp muttered. The Cerberus jumped up and let out an even louder roar. The pirates panicked and bolted again. "Correction! That was definitely a sore spot!"

"I'm sorry!" Chopper yelled over his shoulder. Reaching the stairs, the quartet ran upwards, taking them two or three at a time before finally seeing the forest again. Thinking quickly, they dashed up a tree just in time to avoid the three-headed beast coming out of the stairwell.

"Hey-!" Merry tried, her shout being muffled almost instantly by the combined efforts of Usopp, Nami, and Chopper. Despite her struggling and wish to fight, the others kept the fairy at bay. The beast below wandered off in a random direction, its nose and hearing not on par with that of a live animal. The Coward Trio each let out a breath as the beast's growling faded to nothingness.

"Oh dear," a voice muttered, the pirates' heads snapping toward the direction on the sound. "That was-"

"AHHHHHH!" Usopp and Nami screamed while Chopper nearly fell out of the tree. "Vampire!"

"Now now," the voice placated. "No need to be rude. My name is Hildon." The thing that was speaking certainly looked like a vampire. Hildon was hanging from an adjacent branch by his feet, gravity making his blond hair face downward. The man had grey skin and a rather nice butler suit. Two large canine teeth poked out from his grey lips and a 21 was tattooed over his left eye, said eye and its twin small and beady with a black ring around each. The opposite eye had a scar running straight up into his hairline and his ears were pointed.

"I'm sorry you had to face that creature," Hildon continued. "Please, allow me to escort you to the mansion where you will be given food and rest. Dr. Hogback doesn't get many visitors, after all."

"Dr. Hogback?" Chopper gasped. "Yes!"

"Who is Dr. Hogback?" Merry asked.

"He's only one of the world's best doctors!" Chopper answered with stars in his eyes. "He's saved as many lives as there are stars in the sky! Do you think he'd give me his autograph?"

"I don't see why not," Hildon chuckled. "Please, follow me to the carriage."

 **End of Chapter 86**

* * *

 **Den-Den Discussions:**

 **Merry and Kaya**

(After Enies Lobby)

BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP...

"Are you sure about this, Uncle Usopp?" Merry asked, fidgeting as the den-den's ringing drew out. "Maybe she won't like me or think I'm too unnatural. I'll just head back in with the others-"

"Oh no you don't," Usopp denied. "Trust me. Kaya will the shocked and delighted to hear about you."

"But-"

CA-LICK

"Hello?" Kaya's voice floated from the snail.

"Hey, Kaya," Usopp greeted. "It's me."

"Usopp! How are you? What's going on?"

"Oh, you know," the sniper waved, "we just finished storming a super-secret Marine base a couple days ago to save Robin and got a new crewmember. Nothing too big for the great Captain Usopp!"

"...You did what?!" Kaya demanded. "Is that another one of your tall tales?"

"If you think that's crazy, wait til I have you talk to our newest member Merry."

"Mary? That's a nice name."

"I'd hope so," Usopp chuckled. "Your butler named her, after all."

"What do you mean?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Usopp thrust the microphone into the Wood Fairy's hand. "Go on."

"Umm, hi?" Merry timidly greeted.

"Oh, hello," the blonde on the other end responded. "I take it you're Mary? How old are you? You sound young."

"Technically, I'm four," Merry began, "but I only remember the last few months."

"What's your full name?"

"...Going Merry," Merry whispered.

"Going- Usopp! This better not be some prank you've wrapped this little girl up into!"

"It's not!" Usopp denied, scandalized. "Merry is the spirit of the Going Merry, a Wood Fairy!"

"What's a Wood Fairy? And I'd rather have the little girl answer this one! I can't trust you, right now, Usopp!"

"Umm, Uncle Usopp isn't lying," Merry muttered. "I really am the spirit of the Merry. I'm what's known as a klabautermann."

"I... a... what? This isn't a prank?"

"I'd never prank you, Kaya," Usopp responded. "Go on, Merry. Tell your Aunt Kaya your story."

"...Aunt?"

"So... uhh," Merry fumbled. "S-So... Wood Fairies are created through the bonds of a crew... and... uhh... That, uhh, that happened."

"Merry, Sweetheart," Kaya said gently, stopping the jumbled grouping of words coming from the little, horned girl. "You don't have to be nervous."

Merry swallowed, trying to steel her nerves. Her next sentences were a little more coherent. "So Wood Fairies like me are made when a ship's crew love each other without question. Some time after getting to the Grand Line, I started to notice things and slowly became more aware as the crew got bigger. Only recently was I able to take shape." The little girl cracked a smile, turning her eyes on Usopp. "The first time I did, I made Uncle Usopp faint."

"Hey!" the sniper cried over the sound of his girlfriend laughing through the snail. "We were in a forest in the sky and there was mist everywhere! And you caught me off guard!"

"Anyway~," Merry sang, much more at ease even though her mood slid downhill as her story approached common events. "I was starting to fall apart at that point despite how much care Uncle Usopp tried to give me, so I thought it was time the crew started letting me go, but then Robin just _had_ to go turn herself in to let us get away when we couldn't and Captain Luffy _had_ to go after her."

"That was the super secret Marine base raiding I mentioned!" Usopp cut in.

"Hush, you!" Kaya chastised. "Let the girl talk!"

"Yes, ma'am," the sniper gulped.

"So Captain Luffy and the others ran off to save Robin, leaving me here at Water 7 when a big storm was coming and the bast- err, bad guys released me with the hope that I'd sink. But I didn't! I just had this feeling telling me that I couldn't die yet, so I sailed myself through the storm to Enies Lobby, the Marine base, and saved everybody!"

"My goodness!" Kaya gasped.

"You're telling me!" Usopp laughed. "Imagine our surprise when we were stuck on a broken bridge, surrounded by 50 Navy battleships, and our little old Merry comes sailing in without a care in the world! I, being the Great Captain Usopp, the last one conscious after our battle with nearly 3,000 Marine Captains upon that broken bridge, valiantly-!"

"Yeah, yeah," Kaya waved off through the den-den, causing Merry to laugh at Usopp's scandalized expression. Her voice became distance, shouting something away from the receiver. "Merry! Get in here! There's someone on the line you'll want to talk to!"

"Who is it, Ms. Kaya?" Kaya's butler and caretaker, Merry, asked. There was shuffling on the other end of the line along with a gasp of surprise. "Ms. Kaya! I can't believe that Usopp's tomfoolery would rub off on you even leagues away! That is not funny!"

"I'm telling the truth!" the blonde on the line insisted. "Here! Talk to her!"

"If you insist," the butler relented. "Hello? To whom am I speaking?"

"Uhh," Merry blinked, her nervousness returning. "Hi. I-I'm the Going Merry. I like to th-think that I'm your d-daughter?" The fairy's voice hitched at the end, really hoping she hadn't overstepped her bounds with her creator. There was a pause on the other end.

"...Merry?" the butler questioned. "You... You're actually alive?"

"Yeah." The little Wood Fairy shifted.

"This is a miracle!" the butler exploded from the other end. "I've always wanted children!"

"You did?!" both Usopp and Kaya gasped.

"I never got the chance!" Butler Merry continued, undisturbed by the younger humans' shock. "Oh, happy day! Happy day!"

"...You know what?" Usopp muttered, patting Merry on the shoulder. "I'll leave this to you. Have fun!" The sniper started backing out of the room.

"Uncle Usopp!" The door closed, leaving Merry with her celebrating creator on the other end of the den-den call, the man crying out "She's aliiiiive!"

 **Fin**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	89. Hogback

**Chapter 87:**

 **Hogback**

"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy," Chopper chanted, all but bouncing in his seat next to Hildon. Nami and Usopp sat across from them with Merry in the sniper's lap once again; she was fiddling with a piece of rope. The wheels of the carriage creaked and groaned as the odd horses pulled it along. "I can't wait to meet Dr. Hogback! Do you think I could get his autograph?"

"Is this hog guy really that special?" Usopp asked, confused as to why the little reindeer was so excited while they were still anywhere in the creepy forest of Thriller Bark.

"He's only the world's most renowned surgeon!" Chopper answered, scandalized that there was anyone who hadn't heard the name Hogback. "He's the man that everyone in the medical community idolizes! They say that he's saved more lives than there are stars in the sky, but a few years ago, he vanished. No one was ever able to find any evidence of where he'd gone, so eventually everyone gave up and mourned him, but apparently he's here on this island!"

"I'm still not sure about this," Nami muttered uneasily, glancing out the window. She could swear there was something out there. Glancing at the others who weren't paying attention, she drew back the curtains for a clearer look outside. Dozens of creatures that shouldn't exist, such as a tree with a face, were having what seemed to be a party. Nami screamed.

The party outside stopped immediately and the riders in the carriage snapped their attention outside. The other three pirates cried out, Usopp and Chopper in fear and Merry in excitement. The monsters fled into the night.

"Stop!" Nami cried. "Stop the carriage! Hildon! Take us back! Take us back to the shore!"

"Oh fine," the pale creature huffed, his blond hair defying gravity now that he was right-side-up. "Dr. Hogback will be disappointed, but I suppose that can't be helped." With a sigh, Hildon exited the carriage saying that he was going to have the driver turn around.

"But I wanna meet Dr. Hogback," Chopper whined, crying while flopping on the seat like a little kid.

"Listen, Chopper," Usopp muttered. "I know you want to meet this guy, but it's not worth risking our necks. Sorry." The reindeer didn't respond and the four pirates sat in silence for the next ten minutes.

"What is taking so long," Merry sighed. "I'm bored."

"Don't know," Nami shrugged. "I'll check. It really shouldn't take this long to turn around." Carefully, being wary of the monsters they'd seen, Nami opened the door and stepped out. "He ditched us!" she screamed from outside.

"What?!" Usopp demanded, rushing out. "She's right! Even the horses are gone!"

"He left us in a graveyard," Merry observed, eyeing the gravestones around them. Some dirt shifted a dozen feet away.

"What was that?" Usopp questioned, his hand creeping toward Kabuto on his back. A hand covered in bandages burst forth from the ground, dragging the rest of its body up next.

"An old guy with serious injuries?" Merry questioned with a tilt of her head.

"Zombie!" The other three pirates yelled, all of them terrified. More zombies pulled themselves from the ground and the hoard started shuffling toward the pirates.

"Zombies? Woooo!" Merry cheered, pulling her hammer from her pocket. She charged at the mob of undead, shocking them.

"Merry!" Usopp cried, running forward to try to catch the fairy, but the klabautermann had a significant lead on the sniper and reached the zombies rather quickly.

"Merry Hammer!" With a grin, the diminutive, white-haired girl swung her wooden hammer at the first zombie. With a crack, the bandaged corpse flew to the left and tumbled into two others.

"Ow!" the undead yelled. "That hurt!"

"Battering Ram!" The horned girl ignored the zombie she had just attacked and rushed at another, smashing her horns into its chest. The zombie gasped and cirreened backwards with a cry of pain.

"Fireball Star!" Usopp called, his sudden fire warding away a group of undead that were going to blindside the little klabautermann. "Merry! What the Hell are you doing?!"

"Baahahaha!" the girl laughed, swinging her hammer at another zombie. "I'm fighting, of course! Merry Hammer!" Her target's head rolled away, the body chasing after it.

Nami screamed again from somewhere behind them. She and Chopper in his Heavy Point were trying to ward away a part of the mob that had come for them. The navigator swung her Clima-Tact, a lightning bolt arching through the air to fry one of the oncoming undead to ash. A living body would have survived, but the decaying meat and flesh of the zombie stood no chance. A black blob flew off into the night, unseen.

The other zombies jumped back, their faces morphing from panic to rage at the loss of their comrade. With a cry, the hoard charged.

"Run!" Chopper shouted, scooping up Nami with his Walk Point. Usopp did the same to Merry, placing her on his shoulders as the sniper and reindeer fled from the graveyard toward the mansion. The zombies chased them for most of a mile before losing them in the night.

* * *

"Why *pant* does *pant* this *pant* keep *pant* happening?" Usopp demanded, bent over his knees while Merry slipped off his shoulders. She looked around, taking in the area in which they had found themselves. The quartet had stopped at the entrance to the giant mansion in the center of the island, a large overhang hiding the sky directly above from view. An unlit spotlight was set into the ground a ways to the left, seeming to focus on an old well next to a set of double doors.

"We're even further from the shore than we were before!" Nami complained.

"Does this mean I'll get to meet Dr. Hogback after all?" Chopper cheered. Suddenly, the rope in the well began writhing, pulling something up quickly as the spotlight snapped on. The three cowards jumped behind Merry, each trying in vain to completely hide themselves behind the second smallest member. Even Chopper, with his smaller stature, could not hide his antlers.

The rope stopped, pulling a woman to the surface. She stood around Nami's height in a simple black dress and had blue skin covered in stitches. Her blonde hair was cut into a princess-style haircut and her dull blue eyes roamed over the group without emotion. Stacked in her hands over her stomach were ten plates.

"Hello," she intoned in an emotionless voice. "Welcome to the lab of Dr. Hogback. You three may enter." She pointed at Nami, Chopper, and Merry. "You may not. One, two, three, four." With each number, a plate from the top of the stack in her hand flew through the air to strike Usopp, shattering upon contact.

"That hurts!" Usopp yelled.

"Five, six, seven, eight."

"Stop it!"

"Nine." As the second-to-last plate flew, Merry jumped in the way, smashing it with her hammer before it could hit the sniper like the other eight had. Something reminiscent of a smile tweaked at the woman's mouth. "I like this one. She breaks plates."

"Come now, Cindrey," a male voice called from inside. "There's no need for that." The door of the mansion opened, revealing a large man dressed in a long-sleeve, fishnet top and dark tights with boots. Two fangs stuck out of his mouth and curved stitches raced over his forehead to connect the top of his eyes. His dark hair seemed to be receding even though he only appeared to be in his late 40's to early 50's and a feathery, purple coat of some kind hung down his back.

"Who are you?" Merry asked. "And what's up with her?"

"My name is Doctor Hogback," the man answered, causing Chopper to go "SQUEEEE!". "As for your other question, this is my assistant, Cindrey. She was once engaged to a wealthy man who claimed to love her dearly, but she wasn't convinced. To test their love, she broke an expensive set of porcelain China, but the man grew angry and severed the marriage. Devastated and disowned by her family, she wandered the seas until finding her way here where she's worked for me ever since. She's also hated plates with a passion ever since that day."

"I wish every plate on earth would break," Cindrey muttered angrily.

"But enough of that," Hogback waved off. "It's almost dinnertime. What do you all say you come inside. I rarely get visitors."

"Sure," Nami agreed, ushering the two smaller and younger crewmembers inside. Usopp moved to follow.

"Ten," Cindey said, the last plate shattering upon contact is Usopp's face.

"Ow!"

* * *

The dining table was st up in a spacious room at the base of the mansion, stairs leading out from each side as access to the different parts of the building. Oil paintings of people and animals covered in stitches lined the walls, dropping a creepy feeling on the visitors. On the floor to the side of the table was a bear rug made from a polar bear, its fur as white as snow but also covered in stitches. Sitting at the head of the table was the laughing Dr. Hogback with Chopper and Nami on his left and Usopp and Merry on his right.

"Foooss fosfosfos!" Hogback laughed. "Like I said before, I rarely ever get visitors! What brings you people here? And why are you all so filthy?"

"We were attacked my zombies in the graveyard out there and ran here for cover," Nami answered.

"Zombies?" Hogback questioned, his glasses glinting.

"Yeah!" Merry cheered. "They were really gross and I hit some of them with my hammer! It was a lot of fun!"

"So you... enjoyed... fighting the zombies out there?"

"A whole lot!" Merry nodded, ignoring Usopp's attempts to tell her to be quiet. "I've never been able to fight for myself before!"

"Um, quick question," Nami cut in. "What are the zombies doing on this island?"

"In all truthfulness, I don't know either," Hogback responded. "That's why I'm here. I'm studying them."

"Studying them?" Usopp asked. "Why the heck would you willingly be anywhere around them?"

"When most people hear the word 'zombie'," Hogback began, "they think about monsters, about a sin against nature. But what if we thought about it as a person who came back from the dead? Then it's a miracle! The dream of all doctors! The ability to bring one's loved ones back to the land of the living would be the ultimate medical ability! But people scorned me for thinking that way. 'It's not natural,' they claimed. 'A crime against the order of the world.' That's why I came here, to complete my work in solitude, away from prying eyes!"

"That's amazing!" Chopper gushed with stars in his eyes. "As a doctor, I'm behind you all the way!"

"Why, thank you, Dr. Chopper!"

"Eee!" Chopper squealed, pulling his hat down to try to hide his blush. "Even if you acknowledge me as a doctor, you won't get on my good side, you jerk~!" He held out a white pad and a marker. "C-Could I have your autograph?"

"Why, of course!" He took the pad. "To my dear Doctor Chopper."

"Eee!" Chopper squealed again. Just as the reindeer was taking the signature, Cindrey walked in, dropping custard on the table.

"Cindrey!" Hogback gasped, not hearing Merry's quiet giggles. "Couldn't you at least have put it on a plate?"

"I wish every plate in the world would disappear," the maid responded.

"Foooss fosfosfos!" the world-renowned doctor laughed awkwardly. "Sorry about that. Luckily, I'm used to this, so I always keep the tablecloth clean."

"Ok," Usopp, Chopper, and Merry shrugged, each bending down to suck up their own lump. Nami watched, barely holding in her annoyance. She did not touch her food.

"You people are filthy," Cindrey stated. "I have drawn a bath for you and will escort you there after the meal."

"Thank you," Nami nodded gratefully.

"One more question," Usopp muttered, his tongue still on his custard. "Have you seen a skeleton running around?"

Hogback stopped mid-lick. "A skeleton?"

"Yeah," the sniper nodded. "All bones with this big afro and a pretty cheery mood for a dead guy."

The fanged doctor broke into a cold sweat, beads polling on his forehead to slide down his pointed nose and just miss his custard as they dropped. "Never seen him."

"Oh. Ok."

"Please follow me," the blue-tinted maid insisted, dragging the pirates away from the table. "The women shall bathe first."

"Come on, Merry," Nami smiled. "Let's get you cleaned up."

"Ok!"

 **End of Chapter 86**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **And it's not too late to vote on the poll! I think I'll close it when I hit 101 voters, and let me tell you, it's a CLOSE race. Like, within 5 votes close. Which side will win, Love or Logic?**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	90. Mansion of Monsters

**Hello again, everybody, to Coby's Choice, the only story where Coby's... choice it the defining change! Here we are in Lovely Thriller Bark after Nami, Chopper, Usopp, and Merry have just had a lovely meal and, to those of you who thought Absalom _wasn't_ a big enough piece of trash to go in when a little girl was bathing... Nope!**

 **In other news, the poll for Ace's fate has closed and you can go view the results on my profile. It was a close race, I think it was a majority of 5 or 6 votes determined the outcome, but I hope that none of you abandon this story just because of that! Aaaaanyway, on to the chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 88:**  
 **The Mansion of Monsters**

 **(WARNING! Vague depictions of nudity, discussion of certain things, and some molestation. You have been warned.)**

"Isn't this nice?" Nami asked, her petit hands combing through Merry's white hair. The klabautermann bleated a soft reply as she nuzzled deeper into the older teen's embrace. Warm water rippled around them with each movement and sigh as steam rose lazily through the air. Usopp and Chopper chatted quietly outside, their silhouettes vaguely present through the opaque glass door. "I haven't been able to do something like this since I was little, but hopefully..." She trailed off.

"Hopefully what?" Merry asked, pulling away from the orange-haired navigator to turn around and face her.

"Hopefully, after we find the One Piece and Luffy fulfills his dream to become the Pirate King, I want to have kids."

Merry blinked. "You want kids?" she asked. "I didn't know that. Everyone talked to me when I was a ship and they all told me what they wanted, but you never said anything about kids."

"To be honest," Nami sighed, "you are the reason I want kids."

"Me?"

"Yes, you," the navigator answered, poking the klabautermann in the forehead. "Watching you interact with Usopp made me think about how I wanted that, to have little ones running around my legs, begging me for things with their big, pouty eyes. I want a kid to sit on my lap at meal times and giggle at every little thing someone says and just be so cute that I want to tell everyone they're mine."

"Does Captain Luffy know about that?" Merry asked as Nami turned around so the little girl could rub shampoo through the older teen's hair.

Nami shook her head slowly. "Luffy's so focused on his dream. We all are, really. I'm just afraid that if we had a kid, he'd just drop everything, you know? He puts his all into whatever he's doing, but he's not the the most buoyant ship on the water, if you know what I mean. I don't know if he could handle looking for the One Piece and raising a kid at the same time. And I don't think I could raise a kid with no help."

"But you wouldn't be alone," Merry rebuffed, picking up a bucket to wash the shampoo out of Nami's hair. "I heard Robin once say that it takes a village to raise a child. You all have a ship with a great crew."

"I'm not sure how I feel about that," the teen admitted. "Sure, everyone's got their upsides, but they've got their downsides, too." She shook her head, water droplets flying everywhere as she stood and pulled Merry to her feet. "Anyway, no time to think about that now. Let's-"

A force slammed into Merry, knocking her out of the tub and into a pillar before something grabbed Nami and shoved her into the wall. The thing grabbed her arms, forcing them to either side of the woman's head as a rough, wet something slid up along her chest.

"Delicious," a deep voice purred next to her ear. "You're even more beautiful than the ones on the ship."

"Get off!" Nami yelled, trying to resist whatever was holding her captive, but the invisible thing held firm.

"I can give you what you want," he, the voice was definitely a he, whispered hungrily. "I wouldn't mind having a couple of brats with a pretty thing like you."

"I'm taken!" the woman denied, legs flailing, but not with enough power to faze whatever held her. In the corner of her vision, Nami saw Merry stir at the base of the cracked pillar.

"Don't be that way," the voice pouted, licking the space between her breasts. "Since you landed on this island, your friends will never leave alive, but you can, if you join me. I'm looking for a bride."

"I'm married already!"

"Battering Ram!" Out of nowhere, Merry plowed into the invisible man horns first. With a pained gasp, the man let go, leaving gravity to pull Nami to the floor as the man and the klabautermann sprawled to her left.

"Usopp, Chopper!" Nami shouted. "Get the Hell in here!"

"What is it?!" Usopp cried as the door slammed open, his eyes taking in the vision of a naked Nami. With a blush, he spun around and started muttering to himself. "I'm so dead. I'm so dead. Nami's going to kill me, then Luffy's going to kill me, then Kaya's going to kill me. I'm so dead."

"There's something invisible!" Merry yelled. Reaching toward her clothes, her hammer flew out to land in her open hand. Chopper transformed into his Walk Point and sniffed the air.

"He's headed toward the window!" Chopper announced. Said window flew open, unleashing chilly night air into the warm bath.

"Exploding Star!" Usopp shouted with parental rage at the thought of anyone snooping on his little Merry, even if Nami was their intended target. The window and the surrounding wall was blasted outward, leaving a gagged hole in the stonework.

"We're leaving," Nami stated, wrapping a towel around herself. "Now!"

* * *

"That is one big-ass web," Amy muttered, staring up at the spider web that had trapped both Brook's old ship and the Thousand Sunny. Franky stared over the railing at the Ladybug bobbing in the water next to its mother ship, his brow furrowed. Luffy jumped off the ship to the dock with a wide grin, ready to explore a new island. The crew slowly built around their excitable captain until Zoro was the last one aboard. No one knew what had happened to the invisible mystery thing, but whatever it was was long gone for now.

"Come on, Zoro!" Luffy yelled. "If you don't hurry, I'll eat your lunch!" Zoro didn't answer, still lost in thought about the weird island of Thriller Bark. "Zoro! Get down he-!" Luffy stopped and spun toward the center of the island with a frown on his face and his pupils contacting.

"What's wrong, Don Luffy?" Gin questioned.

"Nami's in trouble," Luffy muttered. "I can feel it." Without warning, the rubber-man vanished from sight, a dust trail and vague wisps of steam marking his path in through the gate.

"What's gotten into him?" Zoro asked, jumping down to join the others. Next to him, Coby transformed into his Dino Mode and bent down to allow Grace onto his back. Robin sent the rosette a knowing look before turning to his master.

"Captain said something about Mrs. Navigator being in danger before running off. I do hope she and the others are ok. It simply wouldn't do if our newest member was ripped to shreds on her first official adventure."

"After all this time, your humour still send a shiver down my spine," Amy muttered. "And to think I call myself a sadist."

"So what do we do?" Sanji asked, taking a drag from his cigarette to restrain himself from taking off like the captain had. "Are we going to carve out our own path or just follow Luffy's trail of destruction?"

"I suppose we'll follow for now," Gin shrugged. "There's only one entrance."

Grace yawned. "Wake me up when something happens," she muttered, fluffing Coby's hood like a pillow. Tilting her hat so it covered her eyes, she laid down and went to sleep.

"You two aren't even dating and yet you're still so whipped," Gin laughed.

"Shut up," Coby grumbled, red coloring the green-grey scales under his eyes. "Don't think I don't know about the way you look at Amy when you think no one is watching, Gin!"

"Oh ho!" Amy gasped, pretending to be surprised as Sanji's head whipped around to stare at the gaping lightning-man. "Is one of Hell's finest pining after little old me?"

"Gah, I, uh..." Gin tried to find something to say, his face turning red. His darting eyes landed on a smirking Zoro. "Zoro's got a crush on Robin!" he blurted. He didn't know if there was any truth in his statement, but bringing up both the final female member and Sanji's "rival" was bound to get the cook off his back.

"What?!" Sanji wailed, rounding on the older swordsman from where he had been slowly approaching Gin. The slightest tinge of pink in the darkness over the green-haired man's startled face was all the confirmation the cook needed to attack, his leg shooting out try to kick Zoro in the head. The swordsman ducked under the leg and pulled out Wado Ichimonji, forcing the chef to jump back.

"This is not happening!" Sanji shouted, launching another kick toward Zoro only to be repelled. "You shitheads as not going to steal all of my beautiful mellorines from me!"

"We aren't trying to, you wannabe chef!" Zoro shouted back.

"Everyone shut up!" Grace yelled, sitting up on Coby's back. "I can't get any sleep with all this noise!" She smacked Coby in the side. "You, mush!" With a huff of embarrassment, the dinosaur began trudging forward. Behind him, Gin made a whipping sound while Sanji continued to glare at both him and Zoro. Robin chuckled silently as if none of the announcements were any surprise, yet still amusing.

Luckily for Coby, he only had to deal with the teasing until they reached the bottom of the stairway within the entrance. Lying on the skeleton-covered ground was a patchwork Cerberus moaning in pain, a large, red bump on each of the three heads and a cracked indent in the wall right next to the beast.

"Captain Luffy's been here," Coby thought aloud.

"Would you look at that," Robin muttered with interest. "It's a Cerberus like in the myths, but it appears to be a recreation."

"How can you tell?" Gin questioned, slowly raising his headband.

"One of the heads, that orange one on the left, is a fox head."

The monster didn't seem to like that. Lunging, the three-headed beast jumped with claws bared to slice the archeologist. It only made it halfway before Zoro and Sanji intercepted it, the former slicing the mismatched head and body off at the stitches and the latter using a burning foot to launch the remainder of the monster into the air. The blue part of the body landed with a crunch while the orange flopped uselessly, all three heads whimpering but not dying.

Robin blinked. "A zombie Cerberus. Interesting. Let's see what else is on this island." With a unanimous shrug, the rest of the party followed the woman deeper into the unknown, leaving the moaning, broken, three-headed dog/fox zombie behind.

"Hey, Sanji?" Coby asked. "Why is your leg on fire?"

* * *

"No, Chopper," Nami admonished as they walked through a hallway toward the mansion's dinning room. "We cannot go ask Hogback about it."

"But, Nami-!"

"No buts!" the navigator growled. "We are leaving this Goda-forsaken, zombie-infested mansion, getting on the Sunny, and sailing away as fast as possible."

"I agree with Nami," Usopp put in. "We do _not_ need to stay here and get eaten by undead monsters!"

"But, Nami!" Chopper whined. "Hogback!"

"But, Uncle Usopp!" Merry whined. "Zombies!"

"No!" the older pirates denied as the quartet finally reached the dinning room. The room was shrouded in darkness, a cold breeze slowly drifting through the space.

"Having a disagreement, are you?" a voice asked. The pirates' heads whipped around to land on Hildon where he was hanging upside down from the chandelier, the candles bursting into flame. "I'm sure, whatever it is, you can work it out tomorrow morning after a good night's rest. Allow me to show you to your rooms." Taking flight, the vampiric being flew to the top of the stairs and gestured behind him.

"No thank you," Nami denied. "We have to meet up with our friends, so we'll be going now."

"Please, don't!" Hildon begged.

"You've failed!" a woman's voice hissed, causing Hildon to deflate. "They know too much and can't be allowed to leave!"

"I know," Hildon moaned like a scolded child. "You don't need to be so mean about it." To the left, a panting of a woman began to move, the neck of the woman elongating past the frame.

"Welcome to our house of horrors!" the painting hissed, arms coming up from below the frame to reach out toward the pirates. The Straw Hats screamed, backing away as the other paintings began moving. A scowl coming to her face, Merry pulled her hammer from her pocket and dashed forward, smashing the head of the wooden tool into the side of the zombie painting's face.

"Merry Hammer!"

"Gah!" the zombie cried, curving around from the waist to slam into the wall. "You bitch!"

"I'm a ram!" Merry rebuffed. "Or, maybe a sheep? I'm not really sure."

"We'll figure it out later!" Usopp yelled just before a sword, thrown by a live pig's head, stabbed into the bear rug he was standing on. The rug, at that moment, roared, rearing up and undulating like a flag.

"Who threw that sword?!" the bear-rug-zombie demanded, twisting around to lock it's eyes on the sniper, not noticing Nami or Chopper as they tried to make themselves as small as possible. Usopp scrambled up to the chandelier where he gathered up the candles.

"St-Stay back!" Usopp ordered as the other paintings revealed themselves to be zombies. "Let us go or I'll burn this place to the ground!"

"Fire!"  
"He's crazy!"  
"Put those out!"

"I said stay back!" Panicking, the sniper tossed the first candle, the fire catching the living rug and setting it alight. The bear zombie panicked, trying to put out the fire but only managing to spread it to its paws.

"Hot, hot, hot!"

"Look what you've done!" Hildon yelled. "You'll burn down the mansion!" Usopp headed not the vampire's warning and began to throw the candles every which way. With the zombies focusing on the sniper, Nami and Chopper lunged for the door and try to open it, but the large entryway was locked.

"Help!" Nami shouted, hoping someone was on the other side and would come to their aid. "Help!"

"Help us!" Chopper joined in, pounding on the wood.

"NAAAAAAMIIIII!" Her name was the only thing the navigator registered before the wooden doors all but exploded.

 **End of Chapter 87**

* * *

 **Thank you, everyone, for stopping by! Please remember to**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	91. Zombies, Graveyards, and Ghosts, Oh my!

**Chapter 89:**

 **Zombies, Graveyards, and Ghosts. Oh My!**

 _"NAAAAAAMIIIII!" Her name was the only thing the navigator registered before the wooden doors all but exploded._

Shards of wood lanced inward from above Nami and Chopper, a particularly large one soaring through the air to stab the bear rug in the chest. The picture zombies cried out in panic as a fist sped out almost too fast to see to punch the first one that had talked in the face, her frame torn off the wall and her form flying past a shocked Merry to crash into the wall by the stairs. Hildon shrieked and took wing, vanishing into the darkness of the hallway behind him, crying "Bodyguard! Bodyguard!"

Time seemed to halt as the newcomer skidded to a stop, his arm snapping back to its proper length and the pink tinge in his skin fading along with the steam in the air. He lifted his bowed head, cold eyes scanning the room for threats through the shadow of his hat.

"Captain Luffy!" Merry yelled, dashing over to hug the rubber-man around the waist. Luffy's icy gaze broke, a smile coming to his face as one of his hands patted the klabautermann on the head between her horns.

"Hey, Merry," the captain muttered, idly noting that Nami and Chopper were behind him and that Usopp was on the chandelier with only one candle. "Is everyone alright?"

"Yeah!" the little fairy smiled, looking up at the teen captain. "Mrs. Nami was attacked by a pervert while we were in the baths, but I hit the guy real hard and he went away! And there were these zombies that attacked us in the graveyard out there, but Uncle Usopp wouldn't let me fight them." Merry pouted cutely.

"Zombies, huh?" Luffy chuckled, not laughing only because he was keeping an eye on the monsters around the room. He was also definitely not amused at the information about the pervert; he had enough on his plate dealing with Sanji and now Franky. "So that's what they are. I thought they were just some stupid old guys with serious injuries."

"I know right!" Merry agreed. "That's what I thought they were at first, too!"

"Luffy!" Usopp yelled, flinging his last candle at a pig's head that threw a second sword at him. "Help!" With a single stretch of his arm, the teen pulled the sniper from his precarious perch none-too-gently. Usopp landed with a soft oomf.

"Who is this?" a picture zombie hissed, eyeing the behatted pirate. Luffy fixed the thing with a glare as he pulled off his hat and dropped it on his lover's head.

"Nami, watch my hat," he muttered. Stepping forward, the rubber-man cracked his knuckles audibly and stared down the murderous decorations.

The bear rug zombie, having finally managed to put out the fire, seemed undeterred from the giant splinter in its chest and lunged with a battle cry. Luffy didn't even blink. Shifting just out of the way of the bear's claw like paper. Grabbing its head, Luffy hurled the living undead rug upward toward the chandelier where the zombie's thin body was stabbed multiple times by the hanging item. The bear roared in anger, flailing around to try to pull itself off to no avail but to only dig itself deeper.

"You'll pay for that!" the female picture hissed, lunging forward with claws outstretched. Luffy glanced her way with a cold look, causing the being to slow with second thoughts. Merry capitalized on the zombie's indecision, rushing forward to beat her back into her portrait with her wooden hammer. The zombie seemed to pass out with several lumps on her head.

"We seem to have some intruders," a low voice commented, the words echoing through the mansion with the _clack, clack, clack_ of wooden sandals. The words seemed to come from the hallway Hildon had fled into. "I guess it's my job to expel them. Yohohoho!"

"That laugh," Chopper gasped.

"Brook?" Nami asked. The figure slowly moved into viewing distance, and it was not Brook. The creature was another zombie, but this one stood in a much more regal pose, walking forward with no noise but that from its shoes. Its yellow-greenish skin was mostly covered by an embellished white kimono with a blue scarf and a katana in a black-and-red sheath rested at its side. The zombie stared at the pirates (though it did not have eyes) through grey hair styled into a topknot. And, though the zombie did not have lips, Nami thought it was smiling.

"That is not Brook!" Merry muttered uneasily. "That is definitely _not_ Brook."

"Indeed, I am not," the zombie agreed, the other zombies shrinking back into their frames and away from the undead samurai. "My name is Ryuma, but that will be no concern of yours soon. Yohohoho!" Drawing its blade, the zombie charged.

* * *

"This is the strangest island I've ever visited," Robin muttered as the group trudged forward, deep footprints in the path marking their captain's trail. Coby roared every few minutes, trying to ward away anything that was smart enough to be a threat. Each time he did, however, Grace would roll over on his back and smack him in the side before grumbling and going back to sleep. Every time after that, Gin would quietly laugh at Coby and make whipping sounds, receiving nothing more than an irritated glare from the triceratops in return.

"Negative! Negative!" something chanted, the sound bouncing through the trees. "Negative! Negative!"

"Who's there?" Zoro demanded, a hand falling to grab the hilt of Wado Ichimonji. The strange chanting continued and out of the trees floated a ghost exactly like the one that had been on the Sunny. It drifted around the group, laughing and replicating until four identical spirits circled the pirates. Amy thrust her umbrella at one as it floated by her, but it did nothing but pass through the ghost without resistance.

"They ain't solid," Franky observed. "Still, I wanna try something. Fresh Fire!" A stream of flames erupted from the cyborg's mouth, engulfing one of the ghosts. The ghost in question did not move and, when the flames dissipated, was shone to be unharmed. The spirit dove forward, passing through the shipwright's chest. Franky dropped to all fours.

"I'm worthless," the cyborg moaned. "I'm not _super_ today. Nothing I've done this week is _super!_ Nothing I've ever done is _super!_ I'm not even fit to be a dog food can."

"Geeze, Franky," Gin muttered. "I know your attack didn't work, but isn't that a little excessive?" Another ghost flew down, this one passing through the lightning-man. He fell beside his friend. "What am I saying? I'm not even worthy to power a nightlight."

"Kyahahaha!" Amy laughed, bringing her parasol down to whack both of the depressed pirates on the back of their heads. "Get up, you morons! It's-" A ghost flew through her. "My chocolate is as sweet as my sense of humor," Amy whined. "It'll never be famous. Grace would be better off without me."

"Negative! Negative!" the ghosts continued to chant before laughing. "Horo-horo-horo-horo!"

"It appears these spirits have to ability to make you depressed if they touch you," Robin analyzed. "Yet they cannot be touched." The ghosts each stuck out a long, pink tongue before flying off toward the castle. The pirates turned their attention to their sad companions.

"...I'm not carrying them," Coby muttered.

* * *

"Yohohoho!" Despite the loud laugh, Ryuma was anything but playful. Upon the monster's initial attack, Luffy had shoved all of his crewmembers to the ground. The zombie samurai faded into view behind them, not moving. A few seconds later, the entrance doors that Luffy had busted through split, cut in half diagonally. Seeing that the pirates had avoided its strike, the zombie turned and inspected them in a new light.

"How did you do that?" the zombie questioned.

"Do what?" Luffy responded, jumping to his feet.

"Dodge," Ryuma answered. "I was moving too fast to see."

"I dunno," Luffy shrugged, bouncing on the balls of his feet in a fighting stance. "I just kinda... knew."

"You knew? You _knew?_ We have never before met and you are already anticipating my attacks." If the zombie had lips, it would have smirked. "The only thing that would make this better would be if you were a swordsman!"

The samurai lunged forward, this time visibly, to try to stab at the pirate. In response, Luffy brought his left leg up in a crescent kick, the side of his sandal hitting the flat of the blade to redirect it to the side, while his right arm snapped forward to sock the zombie in the face. The undead backed away, avoiding the captain's fist.

"Get him!" the other zombies cheered as if it was some sort of spectacle. "Show that pirate who's boss!"

"Shut up!" Nami ordered, whipping out her Clima-Tact and whacking a portrait zombie with the electrical end. There was a crack, a quick whiff of ozone, and the zombie went down with smoke rising from its mouth. It did not, however, disintegrate like the other one in the graveyard had. The rest of the undead shirked away from the ginger.

"What a terrifying creature," the pig head moaned. Merry threw her hammer at it, hitting the pig in the snout. It oinked is displeasure, it's frame falling to the floor where it landed face-first. The rest of its body, like that of a tiny pig, wiggled in an attempt to right itself without success.

"That's a really nice sword," Luffy thought aloud, not really worried about the fact that words telling him about his opponent's next moves were worming their way into his brain. "Our swordsman is looking for a new one."

"A swordsman, you say?" Ryuma stopped mid-swing, the table falling apart behind it. Its eyes would have glinted if it had any. "Where is this swordsman you speak of?"

"On the way here," Luffy answered, not really sure how he knew, but certain that Zoro and the others were in a group about halfway to the mansion. "He's got green hair and three earrings. His name is Roranoa Zoro." Despite how strong Ryuma felt, Luffy was sure that the Pirate Hunter would come out on top out of the two of them. It was a win-win: a strong zombie gets taken out and Zoro gets a new sword.

Just as Luffy had expected, not knowing how but knowing all the same, Ryuma sheathed his blade. "I will come for you later," the zombie stated, turning toward the remains of the door. "For now, I will go challenge your swordsman." Ryuma exited the mansion with an even gate.

"Thank Goda!" Usopp cried, having forgotten about the other zombies now that the strongest one was gone.

"We aren't done with you yet!" a picture zombie with a blond bowl cut yelled, lunging out of its frame and causing Usopp to jump. Luffy cracked his knuckles again.

"Nami, Usopp, Chopper, Merry. Back me up. We've got some dead guys to beat up."

* * *

"Oh look," Gin muttered, rolling his eyes. "A graveyard. How cliché."

"The soil is churned," Robin observed, using a sprouted arm to feel the dirt above one of the graves. "Either these graves are fresh, or those buried aren't always buried."

"Zombies?" Coby asked, receiving a nod from the woman. "I never expected to be fighting zombies."

"Neither did I," Amy commented with a shake of her head. Though they were not talking loud enough to wake the true dead, the undead were a different story. A hand thrust itself out of the grave Robin had been inspecting, grabbing her arm before it scattered into flower peddles. The zombie pulled the rest of its body from the ground as its brethren followed from their own graves. Zoro, Sanji, Gin, Coby and Robin looked on with blank looks.

"The dead coming back to life is so not _super,"_ Franky muttered, pulling the flesh-like covering off of his right hand. Grace continued to quietly snore from Coby's back, blissfully unaware of the undead.

"Coby," Amy hissed. "As much as I hate to say it, take my sister and get out of here. Her paints won't do anything on these zombies and I don't want her around a fight when she's defenceless."

"But-"

"Don't argue with me!" Throwing his eyes back at the blonde, Coby took off back the way they had come, Grace still snoozing on his back.

"Why the Hell did you do that?" Zoro demanded, Kitetsu III slicing through two zombies as they came within range. The undead that avoided the attack jumped back in surprise as their companions groveled in the dirt, clutching at their split bodies. "Coby could have just watched and we don't know what's on this island!"

"I... Shut up! I wasn't thinking!" Using her umbrella as a club, Amy swung at a zombie that got too close for comfort, the undead being batted away like a human-shaped baseball.

"Let's just deal with these guys and call them back," Gin suggested, his tonfa knocking the heads off of zombies almost idly. "I mean, really. The only thing these guys have going for them is their numbers."

"Hey!" some of the undead called out as if to chastise the pirate. "That hurts our feelings!"

"Zombies have feeling?" Franky questioned.

"Roranoa Zoro!" a voice called from the other side of the graveyard. "Are you here?! I'm looking for you!"

"Do you know anyone on this island?" Robin asked, noting that the zombies were backing away to create a path.

Zoro shook his head. "No. I don't."

"Your captain told me you were a swordsman," the voice continued, Ryuma striding into the moonlight. "I am looking for a challenge. My name is Ryuma. Yohohoho!"

* * *

"This should be far enough," Coby panted, leaning his side on a sturdy-looking tree. The graveyard was just out of viewing range, but any loud noises should still reach him. Carefully, the young man shrunk down into his Human Mode, being careful not to drop his female cargo.

"Grace," he muttered, shaking her shoulder. "Grace, wake up." Slowly, the young woman opened her eyes, blushing as a very-close Coby came into focus. She scooted away awkwardly and pulled herself up.

"Where are we?" she asked, eyeing the forest around them.

"I'm not really sure," Coby admitted, stepping up to stand beside the redhead. "The others are in a graveyard filled with zombies and your sister told me to take you and run." Grace threw a sideways glance at the Zoan. "Hey! You know how much your sister scares me! I ran without question!"

"So now we're lost?"

"We aren't too far," the swordsman answered. "Just a couple minutes' trot away. Amy didn't think your mood paint would work on dead corpses."

"My black paint would," Grace muttered. "Why does she still treat me like I'm a kid?"

"She's just worried about you." Something to the right of the duo snapped, causing Coby and Grace to instantly snap to fighting stances. "Who's there?" The bushes rustled.

"Look at this," a feminine voice cooed as its progenitor seemed to float out of the foliage, several animal-like zombies following. "Two little playthings! They aren't that cute, but maybe the cute ones will will come to me for them. I think I'll add you two to my garden! Horo-horo-horo-horo!"

 **End of Chapter 88**

* * *

 **So how'd I do? Please tell me! And as always**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	92. The Treasure of Wano

**I'm ba~ack!**

 **Not that I was gone or anything. I just wanted to get y'all's attention. See, I was reading the reviews the other day (all of them), and realized that a whole lot of you were assuming that Kaku was going to join the crew after Enies Lobby. I don't remember if I said anything then, but KAKU WILL BE BACK... Eventually. Let's just say that circumstances _might_ make him pull a Jinbe...**

 **That being said, I've recently found myself in an odd spot. I am an avid shipper, but I'm not someone who will ship anyone with anyone else. Most ships (like LuNa) I only ship those characters with each other, and they've had to have met and interacted or had backstory. I bring this up because I've found myself building a ship for the long-nosed shipwright and it defies this last rule.**

 **I've found myself shipping Kaku with Germa 66's own Reiju.**

 **Weird, right? But when I thought about it, they're both assassins with soft spots and a conscious. I feel like, if they met, they would hit it off.**

 **So, tell me in the comments what you think of ReiKu... KaJu? IDK. Tell me what you think their ship name would be as well!**

* * *

 **Chapter 90:**  
 **The Treasure of Wano**

"That was fun!" Luffy yawned, stretching his muscles. Every zombie in the room was beaten and down, their forms littering the floor. "Now where to go?"

"I say we go back to the ship and leave right now!" Nami suggested, whacking a portrait zombie that was crawling towards her. Luffy's hat remained on her head.

"Seconded!" Usopp cried.

"But that's no fun!" Luffy and Merry whined in sync before turning to each other. "Jinx! Double jinx!"

"Guys!" Nami scolded, punching both Luffy and Merry over the head, thankfully avoiding the fairy's horns. She also ignored Usopp's shout about not hitting Merry and Luffy grumbling about abusive relationships. "We don't have time for this! I, for one, don't want our crew to have to fight another Warlord!"

"But we have to help Brook!" Luffy pointed out. "He's Nakama!"

"No he's not!" Usopp and Chopper denied. "He's scary!"

"I say we go this way!" Luffy cheered, heading up the stairs from which Ryuma had come. "There's something big on this path! I can feel it!" Merry hurried after the captain and, fearful of being left behind, the other three followed.

* * *

"My name is Ryuma. Yohohoho!" The swordsman lunged forward in a blur of speed, only the distance between the two swordsmen giving Zoro the time needed to draw his two blades. Living eyes locked onto empty sockets as a shockwave burst from the blades, the sudden air pressure tearing the ground beneath the warriors asunder and blowing both pirates and zombies away. Zoro and Ryuma jumped away from each other, sizing each other up.

"You are not like your captain," Ryuma commented, "yet you still blocked my attack."

"You said your name was Ryuma, correct?" Zoro questioned, reaching for his headband. "Could it be that you are the legendary swordsman of Wano?"

"I am," the zombie confirmed as the living man finished tying his headband. "It was with this blade that I killed a mighty dragon. This is Shusui, one of the 21 Uwazimono. You don't see a sword like this every day."

"Oh?" Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Is it my turn to boast? What you see before you are the Wado Ichimonji and Kitetsu III, two of the famous Uwazimono blades like your Shusui. Though I am proficient with both one- and two-sword sword styles, I am a user of my own three-sword style, so I'll be taking your Shusui as my own."

"I welcome you to try," the zombie responded, gesturing at the living warrior. The two gazed at each other for a second before they both blurred forward, the ground all but vanishing where they met in a flurry of strikes. They separated once more, breathing a little heavier and each peppered with superficial cuts.

"You are skilled," Zoro stated, gravestones and trees falling to pieces behind him.

"You as well," Ryuma admitted, the fence and some zombies behind the general getting shredded to ribbons. Without moving, the undead warrior stabbed forward, causing an arrow of pink air pressure to race for Zoro. In response, the green-haired pirate raised his swords to send his own flying slash to meet the first. Pink and blue seemed to battle for dominance until both exploded.

"This guy is a whole lot stronger than the other zombies," Amy commented from the sidelines.

"Should we help?" Gin asked, not quite sure if they should be attacking or not.

"No," Robin answered. "He wouldn't want any help in a fight like this."

"Mosshead," Sanji muttered with an eye-roll. Back on the battlefield, the two competitors raced toward each other for a third time, the shockwave produced out-doing both of the previous. Franky, Robin, and Amy were able to keep their footing due to either their Devil Fruit powers or their weight, but Gin and Sanji didn't have the same luck and were picked up by the winds. They vanished into the trees.

"Yohohoho!" Ryuma cackled, his blade straining against both of Zoro's. "It's been a long time since I've faced a worthy adversary."

Zoro didn't seem to care about the zombie's comment. He pulled back, putting distance between himself and his undead opponent. Falling into a low stance, Zoro crossed his swords in front of him.

"Hmm?" the samurai hummed. "What is this energy you are building? Could it be that you know the uses of pure willpower?"

"I was unable to test this technique in my last fight since my opponent surrendered," Zoro answered. "I wish to see its effects on a swordsman of your caliber."

"Yohoho! Let's see it, then." The pirate's eyes narrowed in concentration, his gazed locked on Ryuma as the zombie raised Shusui into a defensive position.

"Demon Aura," Zoro growled, his arms only twitching as two other pairs seemed to materialize from his shoulders. Two more faces seemed to sprout from the sides of his head, each new manifestation bearing its own sword save for the heads. "Asura."

"Yoho! That is quite scary indeed," the zombie acknowledged, "but can it defend?" Ryuma blurred forward in a show of speed, appearing in the air before his opponent almost instantly. Only one arm came up to catch the samurai's blade, both swords ringing with the blow.

"Your illusions are physical?" the zombie gasped quietly, his eye sockets widening as gravity began to pull him to the ground. As soon as his wooden sandals made contact, Ryuma backed away only an inch before his arm seemed to vanish. Zoro responded in kind, his whole body moving as each of his six swords intercepted every one of his enemy's stabs.

"Yes!" Ryuma cheered, two of Zoro's swords catching the zombie's Shusui in a cross block. "I have not had a fight like this since I passed through Fishman Island when I was alive! Show me more! Show me your conviction!"

Zoro's eyes hardened, faint black wisps of energy beginning to circle his blades unnoticed in the darkness. He threw all six of his arms out, shoving the zombie's sword upward before driving forward with three Wado Ichimonji in a triple horizontal slash. Ryuma jumped, landing on the top sword for only a moment and leaping over the living swordsman in a flip. One of Zoro's Kitetsu III whipped up behind his head, catching Shusui before it could slice his head in two. The blades scraped against each other as Ryuma completed his spin and landed in a crouch.

Without a moment's hesitation, Zoro spun with three Wado Ichimonji and three Kitetsu III. Ryuma brought Shusui up to block once more, but the force of the six-fold strike sent him skidding away with his sandals carving twin trenches in the ground beneath him. Ryuma smirked (or he would have if he had lips!).

"I think I'll try something I saw another do long ago," Zoro said, placing his weight slightly backwards and the tips of his swords touching in the center. "Octopus Pot Stance: Fireworks!"

He lunged forward, trying to push Ryuma's sword to the side so his body would be open. The zombie, however, was able to flow around the attacks, stepping backwards until the living pirate slowed to a stop.

"So you have faced an octopus fishman swordsman in combat," Ryuma observed. "To defeat one is truly a feat."

Zoro panted, sweat dripping down his forehead as his illusionary arms began to waver. The green-haired man snarled, trying to hold his apparent transformation in vain. His Demon Aura fell apart.

"What the Hell what that?!" Franky gasped. Beside him, Amy tried to form a coherent sentence.

"I've no idea," Robin responded, not taking her eyes off of the swordsman. "It was certainly effective while it lasted."

"Damn it," Zoro cursed. "Not long enough."

"Go, Bodyguard!" the zombies cheered from outside the duel, emboldened by the fall of the pirate's demonic technique.

"Shut up, you pathetic morons!" the undead swordsman shot back before his eye sockets found his foe. "You are truly a worthy opponent, Roranoa Zoro. I have never seen many of the abilities you possess without the use of a Devil Fruit."

"I aim to hold the title of World's Greatest Swordsman," Zoro responded, bringing his two weapons up. "You should have expected no less."

"I see," Ryuma nodded. "Then shall we finish this duel here and now? I am afraid that I am late for tea." The zombie rushed forward.

Time seemed to slow for the Straw Hats' first mate as he slid both of his blades back into their sheaths. Ryuma was speeding toward him, but to Zoro's eyes, he appeared to be moving at a snail's pace. Zoro's grip found the hilt of Wado Ichimonji as he closed his eyes and his breathing slowed. He stood relaxed.

And then it happened. There was no fanfare or loud cry. One moment Ryuma was rushing towards his opponent and then the two had passed each other at an almost leisurely pace. Zoro slowly resheathed Wado Ichimonji as the ground behind him split in two and a long, shallow cut opened across his right cheek and to his ear which now had a separation between the top and bottom.

"One Sword Style," the green-haired man whispered as his beloved sword clicked back into place, blood oozing from his cheek and ear. "Death Lion's Song." Ryuma made no sounds as a gash cut its way up across his body. Nor did he speak when said cut spontaneously began burning, an eerie blue flame growing to cover his body. The zombie turned.

"You have bested me," he announced, resheathing Shusui and holding it out toward his foe. "The Treasure of Wano has chosen its new master. It will rejoice in your grip. Treat it well."

"From one swordsman to another," Zoro nodded, taking the legendary sword, "you have my word."

"Yohohoho!" Ryuma smirked as well as he was able before turning his head up and opening his mouth. A black blob freed itself from his body just as the blue flames began to truly eat away at the skin. The powerful zombie burned to ash just as the bells of Thriller Bark began to chime with the coming of midnight.

"Well, shit," one of the graveyard's zombies cursed. "Looks like we aren't going to have our nightly dance party." Zoro, Franky, Robin, and Amy turned their attention on the group of undead, an unsettling gleam coming to their eyes.

"I repeat. Well, shit."

* * *

"Horo-horo-horo-horo!" Perona laughed, floating before her loyal animal zombies as the Risky Squirrel Brothers carried along a coffin. The sounds of battle could be heard coming from the graveyard off to the left, but who cared about those rotting, not-cute zombies? She had two more playthings to play with until the others came for them. Maybe she could try to break them until their crew showed up. Then she could take the cute ones for herself!

Perona looked to fit the part of a pink gothic princess. She stood, or floated, at Grace's height with pink curls that fell to her waist and big, black eyes. Her clothing was pink and white including a pink jacket over a white-with-black-designs shirt and red boots that nearly reached her knees. A pink skirt sat over her white-and-black striped leggings and a pink gothic crown sat on her head.

"How will I do this?" Perona mused to herself, floating up the stairs as the animals climbed. "Should I try to win their loyalty or break them with my Negative Hollows and question them about that cute deer and girl with the horns? I can't let Moria get to them before I'm done, they'd burn to ash and that wouldn't be cute at all!" She reached the entrance to her section of the castle, her faithful servant, Kumashi, waiting for her at the door.

"Welcome back, Mistress Perona," Kumashi rumbled in a deep bass.

"Shut up, Kumashi!" Perona snapped, floating by. "You aren't cute when you talk!" The teddy bear-like zombie muttered an apology and hurried after his mistress. "Now listen, Kumashi. I have two more playthings, but I want them as they are. Chain them up in my room for me. Be careful, though. The boy has Devil Fruit powers like me, so make sure he's in Sea Prism Stone chains. Understood?"

"Yes, Mis- err," Kumashi cut himself off and just nodded.

"Good. You're learning. Now get to it! I'll be back in a few minutes after raiding the pirates' ship." Perona phased through a wall, ending the conversation. Kumashi heaved a sigh and directed the Risky Brothers to bring the coffin to Perona's chambers. The zombie squirrels did as bid, dropping the container along a wall on the opposite side of the bed. Not really having fingers of his own, the larger zombie directed the smaller ones to open the coffin, revealing Coby and Grace tucked in neatly, and chained them up. Nodding to himself once the two were properly chained to both the wall and each other, Kumashi waddled over to Perona's bedside and patiently waited for her soul to return.

Resting on the bed was Perona's body, lying limp over the sheets with her head on a fluffy pillow. The body itself was completely independent of the soul wandering the island if the consistent rise and fall of her chest was of any indication. After about seven minutes of silence, the male Devil Fruit user started to squirm. With a groan, the rosette pulled himself into a sitting position and tried to rub his eyes. The shackles around his wrists rattled, raising Grace's arms up.

"Usopp," Coby moaned, still half asleep, "not again." Yawning, the young man pawed at the chains to try to get them off, believing that the sniper had chained him and the painter together like he had once before reaching Water 7 as a joke. He had also chained Sanji and Zoro together, but that had nearly cost him his life. When Coby was unsuccessful at removing the restraints, he began to wake up and view his surrounding.

They were in a pink bedroom decorated with creepy furnishings. The floor was covered in a green carpet that looked like grass and a doorway on the left adjacent wall was framed by two teddy bear statues, the one on the right pink and the other blue with purple bones. A giant patchwork teddy bear with a doctor's mask over its mouth stood next to a red, four-poster bed on which laid the sleeping form of the woman that had captured them. Raising his hands, Coby went for his swords, but managed to do nothing but smack himself with the chains, weakening himself in the process, and pull the unconscious Grace closer by her wrists. The young man slumped, most of his energy sapped by both the time (it being sometime around midnight) and the Sea Prism Stone. Kumashi watched without moving.

"Dammit," Coby cursed, his eyes drooping. He forced himself to remain awake. He was stronger than some stupid chains! Beside him, Grace began to stir.

"I'm back!" Perona called, phasing through the wall she had left from. "The Straw Hats had a lot of money on their ship. Not really treasure, but we raided their food stores as well." Kumashi moved to answer before rethinking, only nodding to the spirit woman. Perona floated over to her body and slowly sunk down into it. With a tired yawn, Perona, no longer a lone spirit, rose up from the bed and stood on her own two feet. Despite Coby trying to stay quiet, Grace's entrance into consciousness alerted the woman to their presence.

"Look, Kumashi!" Perona cooed. "My playthings have woken up!" She walked over to the two pirates and bent down so she was just above eye level to them. Reaching out, she cupped Coby's chin in one of her hands. The male grunted in response and jerked out of her grasp. "Mmm," the woman hummed. "This one's got spunk. We'll see how long that lasts. Horo-horo-horo-horo! Horo-horo-horo-horo! Negative Hollow!"

 **End of Chapter 90**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	93. Damn The Consequences

**Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Coby's Choice! I want to give you all a head's up before getting into this chapter, this is the biggest single divergence from Canon in this Arc, and probably the darkest chapter in this story. I hope that the ending balances that out a little, but...**

* * *

 **Chapter 91:**  
 **Damn the Consequences**

"Wooooo!" Luffy cheered, Merry right behind him as they ran through the hallways of Thriller Bark, punching zombies as they passed. Nami, Usopp, and Chopper followed at a slower pace, having given up on trying to slow them down long ago. Luffy skidded to a halt at the next intersection, Merry's momentum shoving her into his back. The captain ignored the little fairy as his head turned to the left and right, scanning the two paths available to them. Nodding, her turned toward the rightmost path.

"There are people that way," he said, pointing. "I can feel it."

"Not that I'm questioning you, Luffy," Usopp began, "but you aren't even a little bit sceptical about this new sixth sense of yours? And shouldn't we be trying to, I don't know, avoid people!"

"Of course not!" Merry laughed, answering for the otherwise-preoccupied captain. "Don't be stupid, Uncle Usopp! Baahahaha!"

"Come on!" Luffy urged, starting down the path he had chosen, but at a considerably slower pace than before. "We'll listen in, and then attack."

Sighing, the Trio Coward had no choice but to comply. Usopp and Chopper grabbed each other while Nami latched onto Luffy's back. They approached a turn and settled against the wall.

"N-N-Now h-hold on a moment," Hogback's voice stuttered. "C-Can't we j-just talk about this?"

"No," a familiar, even voice replied. "Your master took my shadow. I want it back."

"B-But killing me w-won't help you!" Hogback cried. Peaking around the corner, Luffy, Nami, and Merry saw the good doctor being held at sword point by a skeleton. Hogback had pressed himself against the wall as far as his girth would allow while Brook stood almost nonchalantly in the middle of the hallway, his sword-cane resting on the doctor's jugular. Two bodies lay unmoving on the floor on either side of the living skeleton. The first was shrouded in the shadows of the hallway, but the glow of a nearby lantern casted its light over the face of the second, showing her dead, blank eyes. It appeared that Cindrey would never throw another plate.

"No, it would not," Brook admitted. "But it would stop the creation of anymore zombies. At least for a year or two until Moria finds some new quack as crazy as you are."

"Why is Brook threatening Dr. Hogback?" Chopper asked, hiding backwards. Luckily, the two men down the corridor were too focused on each other to notice.

"From what it sounds like," Nami answered, "Hogback is the one that's been making the zombies on the island. And he's working for the guy that stole Brook's shadow."

"Listen, Hogback," Brook growled, stopping the Straw Hats' conversation. "I'm not a fan of killing, but that doesn't mean I won't. I'm a pirate, after all. But I'm also a reasonable man. Give me one good reason why I should let you live."

"B-B-Because I'm a doctor!" Hogback cried. "I've saved countless lives! I've conquered death like the disease it is!"

"At the expense of dooming your victims to lives of misery," Brook responded. At that moment, he looked and sounded nothing like the fun-loving skeleton that the Straw Hats had had dinner with just a couple hours before. "No one can truly conquer death, Hogback. We all die eventually." Light flashed off of Brook's sword and crimson liquid hung in the air for a single moment. Hogback's hands flew to his throat, clawing at the flesh in a vain attempt to stem the flow of red. The good doctor fell to his knees before slumping over and gurgling once more. Within seconds, he was as still as Cindrey beside him.

The Straw Hats' eyes widened, Usopp's hand over Chopper's mouth and Merry's around his waist being the only things keeping the reindeer from running out to confront the skeleton. Around the corner, Brook sighed heavily and wiped his blade clean on the late doctor's clothing. Luffy almost winced; he'd felt Hogback's death. No, more than that. He'd _heard_ it.

"It must be done," Brook intoned, sheathing his sword. "If I am to travel with those wonderful people I met, then I must get my shadow back. Even if I defeat my zombie, I cannot leave until Moria is stopped. I will not allow anyone else to fall to the same curse as I. I only pray the souls of the dead may rest in peace by the time I'm done." Bells chimed from somewhere above, signaling the coming of midnight. Brook looked up.

"The Night Hunt is beginning," he muttered. "I hope those pirates heeded my words and fled." He turned and started down the hallway, humming what sounded like a slow funeral dirge. So focused on his goal was the skeleton that he did not notice as a black blob slithered along the floor before coming to rest under his feet.

His shadow had returned.

Brook's form faded into the darkness at the end of the hallway, his sad singing dying away a minute later. The pirates remained as motionless as the bodies on the floor until all traces of the skeleton had gone.

It was Usopp that broke the silence.

"Luffy," he hissed. "You can't still want that thing on the crew, do you?"

"I do," the captain nodded, deadly serious. Now was not a time for his usual, boisterous attitude.

"Why?!" Chopper wailed. "He just killed Dr. Hogback in cold blood! He's a monster!"

"I killed a man named Don Krieg before recruiting Sanji and Gin," Luffy responded as he turned his eyes on the other Devil Fruit user, his gaze hardening at the thought of that man. He hadn't thought about Krieg in months. "I probably killed dozens during our rampage through Enies Lobby to save Robin. Am I a monster?"

"No."

"Gin killed Eneru back on Skypia. And he killed countless people before I recruited him. Is he a monster?"

"No!"

"Zoro used to be a bounty hunter and he wasn't known for leaving his enemies alive. And he and Robin worked together to kill that priest and his bird. Are they monsters?"

"NO!"

"Coby killed the Afro Guy back in Drum Kingdom. And he probably killed that Bull Guy at Enies Lobby. Is he-?"

"I get it!" Chopper yelled, tears leaking from his eyes. "I get it, ok! We're pirates, but..." Chopper slumped. "I don't know. I looked up to Dr. Hogback."

"The world isn't black and white," Luffy said gently, bending down to rest a hand on the reindeer's shoulder. "I've seen people burn others alive because they thought they were eyesores or where paid to do so. I saw a man shoot my brother because he could and knew he wouldn't be punished. I've seen someone, a villain who had done many horrible things, begin questioning his life do to the actions of his enemy. We've heard the story of the law, the Absolute Justice that some marines believe in, sacrifice innocents without question for no real gain... Tell me, Chopper, what are we?"

"What?"

"What are we? The crew, what are we?"

"We're friends," Chopper answered. "We're family. We're Nakama."

"We're outlaws," Luffy corrected. "We're villains. We're wanted by the world because of our actions or our knowledge. To the world, we're evil."

"But we aren't evil!" Chopper cried.

"So?" Chopper was silent. He had no answer. Nami, Usopp, and Merry stared at their captain in shock. "We do what we want because we don't care about the consequences, but sometimes, those consequences come for us. We wanted Robin, so we went and took her back. Now, every one of us is wanted by the world. We went against their justice, so we're evil to them." Luffy sighed. "Sometimes, we have to kill. To protect our friends, or our beliefs, or our dreams. Maybe we could do it without killing, but is that morality worth the chance that our old enemies will come back stronger? To me, it's not. That is the life we have chosen and those are the consequences."

Something palpable seemed to hang in the air, weighing down on the pirates. They'd always looked up to Luffy as their captain and leader, but that feeling made him seem like a true king. Like _The_ King.

"I _will_ be the King of the Pirates," Luffy continued, as if the declaration were already a true fact, "but I'm not the only one with that dream. We'll meet others that want the title too, and we might have to kill them so they don't kill us or those who we care about. So, Chopper, do you stand with us? Are you willing to kill for the sake of your friends?"

Chopper swallowed and nodded hesitantly; the heavy presence would allow him to move no faster. As suddenly as it had appeared, the feeling vanished. The three who had watched gasped, releasing breaths they hadn't realized they were holding.

"Come on, guys," Luffy ordered. "We're going to go kick Moria's ass. Damn the consequences."

Turning his gaze upward, Luffy and co. took off, looking for a staircase. Out of the shadows behind them came Hildon, still as pale as a sheet. He stared at the body of Hogback before sighing heavily.

"Master Moria isn't going to like this."

* * *

"Master Moria!" Hildon cried, flying into his master's chambers. "Master Moria!" Landing on a spire above, Hildon waited impatiently for the shadow-man to acknowledge him. Coffins lined the walls, each containing a zombie body just waiting for a shadow.

I'm not exactly sure what race Moria was. He stood, or really, sat, at almost fifteen feet with a neck that filled almost six feet of that that and seemed to be stitched like a shoelace in the front. His skin was as pale as a vampire and purple hair grew out from his ovalar head along with two devil horns. Pointed ears poked out from the sides of his head and his pupils were black as night. He was dressed in yellow-and-orange pants and a belt as well as a dark dress shirt. A dark coat hung to his legs and large shoes covered his feet.

"This better be good, Hildon," Moria yawned in a higher-pitched voice. "I was napping."

"Master Moria! Terrible news!"

"Well spit it out!"

"Hogback is dead!"

Moria paused. "What?" the Warlord hissed. "Was it the Straw Hats?"

"No, Master," Hildon answered. "The Humming Swordsman has returned, and he is not showing mercy like he did last time. It sounds like he intends to join the Straw Hats if he gets his shadow back."

"This will set back my plans. Unless... Yes, that could work. Hildon, Hogback told me that the Straw Hats have a doctor with them, an animal with a Human-Human Devil Fruit. I want you to contact the spider-mice and put out a priority on his capture along with Straw Hat Luffy and Pirate Hunter Zoro. Then, bring me Hogback's body. Also, go tell Absalom to raise the rest of the Zombie Generals. Understood?"

"Yes, Master!" Hildon bowed quickly before taking wing, departing and setting course for Tararan the Spider-Monkey.

"Kiiishishishi!" Moria laughed. "Now things are getting interesting! If the Straw Hats can do this much damage against me, imagine how much they can do _for_ me! Kiiishishishi!"

"Master Moria!" a trio of small zombies called, running into the room. Two large zombies followed them, each carrying a coffin sealed shut with webbing. Shouts of dismay and anger could be heard coming from the coffins.

"We've come with two of the Straw Hats!" the zombie trio continued. "We couldn't identify one of them, but the other is the Electric Devil worth 100 million!" The contents of one of the coffins grumbled something about "stupid lightning powers", "wolf men", and "bad sketch artists."

"It seems the Electric Devil can't use his powers right now!" the trio finished.

"Very good!" Moria exclaimed. "Fire up the spotlight! Kiiishishishi! Kiiishishishi!"

* * *

"Now tell me what I want to know," Perona demanded. "Who were those two cute pirates on your crew? The ones with the horns?"

"You won't get anything about us!" Coby stated for what felt like the fifth time.

"Negative Hollow!"

"Gah!" Coby gasped, his self-esteem at an all-time low. "I don't even deserve to be a cabin boy on Alvida's ship. I should just die."

"Don't talk like that, Coby!" Grace yelled beside him. "You're better than that!"

"Negative Hollow!"

"Who am I kidding?" Grace whined. "My artwork is shit. It'll never be famous."

"Don't say that, Grace! Your artwork is amazing!"

"Tch," Perona scoffed, dropping her arms. "What a pain. I knew these two would need some breaking, but I didn't know they would reinforce each other." She smirked, two ghosts budding from the palms of her hands. "But they can't do that if they're both depressed. Negative Hollow!"

"I want to die and become a coral," Grace moaned. "Then I'd at least be colorful."

"I want to be a clam," Coby sobbed, losing sight of the surroundings as a combination of exhaustion, Sea Prism Stone, and the effects of the mental torture built. "I'm not worthy of the Straw Hats. I'm too weak to uphold justice. I'll never get _her_ to like me."

"What?" Perona questioned. She'd never heard that one before.

"What?" Grace asked, her head snapping toward the pink-haired male.

Coby, still depressed, continued. "I'm a freak of nature. Who could ever love a Zoan like me?"

"You moron!" Grace snapped, slapping the rosette as hard as she could with the restraints on, the sudden pain enough to snap him out of his funk.

"Ow!" Coby cried. "What was that for?"

"Don't talk about yourself like that! You're a great guy, Coby! You're nice and sweet and... and..." She trailed off, her cheeks taking on a rosy hue as she turned away from the boy. "...and _I_ like you," she muttered.

"Kumashi," she hissed. "What are they doing?" Kumashi said nothing, gesturing vaguely. "What?" More vague gestures. "Just spit it out, Kumashi!"

"Gah, ah," the bear zombie stuttered. "I'm not fully certain, but I think this is what Master Absalom would call _flirting._ It's that thing Lola is always trying to do to Master Absalom, but he doesn't like it."

"Ugh," Perona moaned. "Gross. That's not cute at all. Kumashi, call the Risky Brothers. I don't want these two anymore; the answers I want aren't worth listening to that. They can go to Master Moria." The zombie nodded and waddled out of the room. Perona turned back to the young pirates.

"I...Uh," Coby muttered, his own cheeks aflame at what he thought he'd heard her say. "W-What did you..."

"Nothing," Grace denied quickly. "I said that th-the whole crew likes you." Coby and Grace, both their faces a deeper shade of pink than Coby's hair, slowly made eye contact. Without any verbal queue, the two began leaning in...

"Special Hollow: Ghost Rap!"

SNAP

BOOM

 **End of Chapter 91**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	94. The Dogwin and the Pigeon-Man

**Chapter 92:**  
 **The Doguin and the Pigeon-Man**

"There's something wrong," Luffy muttered to himself, stopping in the middle of an intersection. "I can't tell what, but someone's in trouble."

"Maybe it's us," Usopp hissed. "Did you think about that?" Luffy didn't answer, his head twisting this way and that as he glanced toward all the different auras he was sensing. He frowned.

"I can't feel Sanji or Gin. I can't find Coby or Grace either."

"They're all gone?!" Chopper cried.

"It's not that," Luffy shook his head. "I can tell that they're alive, but it's like snuffing out a candle in a dark room. They're still there, but I just can't see them."

"Oh great!" Usopp whined. "We're screwed, aren't we?"

"It's not that bad, Uncle Usopp!" Merry piped up. "We'll get through this."

"Go, Luffy," Nami urged. "Go find them."

"What about us?!" Usopp yelled.

"We'll be fine!" Merry insisted, pulling Chopper into a one-handed hug. "Isn't that right, Doctor Chopper?"

"Even if you say something like that~!" Chopper danced. "It won't make me take your side, you jerk~!"

"I trust you guys," Luffy nodded, locking eyes with each member of the group. When he got to Nami, he reached out and pulled her into a kiss that lasted a good bit longer than it needed to.

"Gross," Chopper and Merry whined. "Human stuff."

"Be careful," Luffy whispered, pecking his wife on the lips once more before they separated. Nami reached up, replacing his treasured hat back on the captain's head.

"You, too," the navigator whispered back. Picking a direction, Luffy took off in search of their missing members. The now-quartet turned toward the other path, Nami, Usopp, and Merry pulling out their weapons in case they ran into any more zombies. No undead presented themselves, however, despite the passage of several minutes and half-a-dozen corridors.

"I don't like this," Usopp whined.

"When do you like anything?" Nami snarked, getting a snicker out of Merry. "And to think you wanted to go alone to start your journey."

"H-Hey!" the sniper tried to deny. "Things are different back in the East Blue!"

"Baahahaha!" Merry bleated softly.

"Oh, come on!" Usopp complained. "Back me up here, Chopper!"

. . .

"Chopper?" The trio turned around, but their fourth companion was gone, no scuffs or sounds anywhere to be found.

"I think we know that happened to the others," Merry muttered. "I sure hope we find everyone before the sun rises and kills them all."

"Merry!" Usopp gasped.

"That's it!" Nami declared, ignoring the bit of Robin's personality that just came out of the Klabautermann. "We're going back to the Sunny! Can you tell which way, Merry?"

The fairy shook her head. "This whole island is a ship. I can't pinpoint the Sunny at this distance."

"Then we'll try retracing our steps."

Turning back the way they had come from, the group hurried as fast as they dared, making it back to outside Hogback's lab where the skeletal musician had offed the mad scientist. None of the bodies were there. Only a darker red patch on the bright red carpet showed that anything had happened earlier in the night.

"I don't like this," Usopp muttered again.

"This time, I agree with you," Nami whispered.

"Hold on," Merry put in. "I hear something coming this way."

"Coo!"

"A pigeon?" Usopp questioned, lowering his Kabuto. The sound of footsteps echoed along the corridor, growing slowly louder until the light shone on their originator. It wasn't quite a person.

The being was a zombie with the torso, legs, and arms of a lean human, but the head and shoulders of a giant pigeon. Tattooed on its bare chest was "946" in bold lettering and its only clothing, a pair of raggedy yellow pants, sat on its hips, leaving its feet bare. Bandages wrapped around both of its arms and its stomach. Resting in its hands were a pair of regular tonfa, the right one of which was slowly building momentum. With a very non-threatening battle coo, the zombie lunged forward.

The pirates scrambled out of the way, the tonfa continuing on its path to crash into the floor where they had been standing. The tiles gave way, turning to rubble under the force. The zombie turned toward Usopp and Nami and charged once more.

"Exploding Star!" Usopp tried, the pigeon man twisting out of the way of the attack which cracked the hallway wall from the force. The sniper screamed and threw himself to the side, the tonfa that had been coming his way missing by a hair's breadth.

"Hey, Bird Brain!" Nami yelled, the sound causing the zombie to turn toward her. "Eat this! Thunder Ball!"

The pigeon zombie stared at the small attack floating towards it, cocking its head to the side in confusion for a second. The ball came within range, threatening to discharge on its beak.

That was, until the monster opened its mouth, revealing a complete set of human teeth, and ate it.

The bird man shuddered after ingesting the navigator's attack, the electricity getting redirected through its arms and into the tonfa where it was dispersed into the surrounding air. Other than a few ruffled feathers, the zombie was no worse for wear.

"Do you think we found Gin?" Merry questioned, sidestepping toward Nami and Usopp. The zombie regarded the pirates silently, cocking its head to the side.

"What now?" Usopp hissed, pulling a shell out of his bag.

"There's no way that's actually Gin," Nami whispered. "It's probably a zombie with his shadow like that Ryuma swordsman." The zombie lunged forward, ending the pirates' conversation. Merry rolled to the left while Nami dove to the right, leaving Usopp stuck in the middle. The zombie bore down on him.

"Uncle Usopp!" Merry yelled, worried that the sniper would fall at close range. Her fears, however well-grounded they may have been, were unnecessary.

The tonfa the zombie wielded came down quickly, aiming to crush the long-nosed teen with a double over-hand strike. Usopp cowered back and raised his hand. The pink shell he held met both tonfa, all of their momentum absorbed instantly. The pigeon-man tilted its head and attacked again, but Usopp met each attack blow-for-blow, absorbing each one with the dial in his hand. Finally, the zombie stepped back, utterly confused.

"Take this!" Usopp cried, rushing forward despite his shaking legs. He brought the shell up, the apex clicking against the zombie's chest. "Impact!"

With the cumulative force of all the attacks beforehand, the zombie was thrown backwards, Usopp flying the other way as Newton's second law came into effect. Nami and Merry lunged to catch the sniper while the undead had no such companions. Gin's zombie slammed into the far wall, smashing through and kicking up a dust cloud that hid it from view.

"OW!" Usopp gasped, clutching his arm. "Owowow OW!"

"Something like that won't keep it down for long," Nami warned, grabbing the sniper by his good arm and hauling him to his feet. "Let's go while it's distracted!"

"Right!"

* * *

 **Earlier**

"So let's take stock here," Franky muttered, he and his group wandering around the base of the castle. "We don't know where Straw Hat is or if he caught up to the others. Cook-Bro and Devil-Bro are MIA. And Dino-Bro and Paint-Sis aren't picking up. The only upside here is that our resident samurai slayer has a new sword."

"Uhh," Amy blinked. "Where's Zoro?"

"Where's-? Oh, you've got to be shitting me!"

"Fufufu," Robin chuckled. "Were you not aware of Mr. Swordsman's sense of direction?"

"I'd heard it was _super_ bad, but he was literally following us!"

"Don't worry about him," Amy waved off. "He'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Frankly wondered aloud.

"Positive," Amy answered. "Anyway, we have bigger things to worry about." She pointed ahead of them. "Namely whatever the Hell those things are and why that skeleton from before is fighting them.."

"I think they're supposed to be animals," Franky commented.

"I think they're king of cute," Robin admitted. The trio slowly entered through the archway into the garden. Ahead of them was Brook, his cane-sword out, defending himself from the zombies of Perona's Wonder Garden. Suddenly, a shockwave rocked the building above.

"Mistress Perona!" the zombie animals cried, turning with worry toward where some of the stonework was starting to come undone.

"Why do I get the sudden feeling that I need to strangle Pinky?" Amy wondered aloud.

"Yohoho!" Brook laughed. "Eat this!" Quickly, the skeleton flicked something into the open mouths of the zombies around him, said undead falling to the ground and convulsing. Black blobs rose from their mouths. "Go on!" Brook cheered. "Return to your masters like mine did before!" The blobs seemed to heed his orders, fully separating from the corpses and flying off into the night.

"Ah, nevermind," the blonde shook her head before stomping into the garden. "What the Hell is going on here? What did you do?"

"Oh dear!" Brook cried, jumping an impressive height in fear. "You nearly scared me out of my skin! Not that I have skin anymore. Yohohoho! Skull joke!"

"Mr. Skeleton," Robin said, stepping forward before Amy could attack the undead musician. "I believe Ms. Valentine here asked you a question?"

"Oh, yes," Brook blinked (or he would have if he had eyes!). "My apologies; I thought you all had turned tail and sailed away like I had asked you to. While you're here though, if it's not too much trouble, could you beautiful ladies please show my your panties?"

"Absolutely not, you undead psycho!" Amy screamed, punching the skeleton into a tree with an increased-mass punch.

"Yohohoho! That one rattled my brain! Not that I have a brain anymore! Skull joke!"

"Ahem," Robin coughed. "The question?"

"Oh, yes." Brook straightened, wiping himself off. "Anywho, what you just saw was me purifying these zombies."

"Purify?" Franky questioned. "With what?"

"Salt."

"Salt?" the pirates parroted.

"Indeed," Brook nodded. "I'd learned of their weakness five years ago when my shadow was stolen from me. Now, however, my shadow has returned! I take it you all had something to do with that?"

"Our swordsman did," Robin affirmed. "There was a zombie swordsman that shared your laugh. Ryuma, I believe."

"Then I must thank him when we meet again!" the skeleton exclaimed, spinning slowly while balanced on one leg. "Imagine my surprise when I'd entered the moonlight to find my shadow beneath my feet once more! I would have cried tears of joy if I still had eyes!"

"But we saw you crying during dinner," Amy muttered. Robin set a hand on the other woman's shoulder, silently telling her to ignore that while their cyborg shipwright cried enough for all four of them.

"Mistress Perona!" a voice called. "We're back!"

"What happened here?!" another voice exclaimed.

The group of four turned to find a trio of penguins, each one wearing a hat and the last of which had a bulldog's face.

"Those are some _super_ freaky zombies!" Franky shouted.

"Indeed!" Brook agreed. "They're scary!"

"But you were just fighting them!" Amy scoffed.

"You pirates have ruined the sanctity of Mistress Perona's Wonder Garden!" the first penguin growled. "As such, we, the Penguin Duo, shall kill you!"

"Penguin Trio!" the doguin put in in a familiar voice. "We're a trio now! I'm the new guy!"

"Was that-?"

"I think so, Franky," Amy agreed. "That was Sanji's voice."

"Oh dear," Robin sighed dramatically, raising a hand to her cheek. "It seems Mr. Cook has been turned into a brainwashed, undead dog-penguin. How will he reach the stove now?"

"Robin!" the other two Straw Hats exclaimed.

"Enough of this!" Penguin #2 yelled. He rushed forward faster than his stubby legs should have allowed, flipper cocked back to attack. Coming within striking distance in the span of a second, his flipper met Franky's metal forearm, sending the cyborg skidding back several inches. The penguin bounced off of the ground as soon as he touched it, launching himself at Amy.

"Don't you dare!" the Sanji-doguin shouted, appearing between his "comrade" and the blonde. The zombie's foot snapped up, catching Penguin #2 by surprise and hurling it away with a strike to the beak.

"What are you doing, rookie!" Penguin #1 cried as #2 rolled to a stop. "Those women are our enemies!"

"I don't know why," Sanji's zombie answered, "but for some reason, I can't let you hit either of these women!"

"Fufufu," Robin chuckled. Using the shock of the Sanji-zombie's declaration on the others, she sprouted four limbs for each of the other two zombies, lifting them up off of the ground by their feet and flippers.

"Let us go!" Penguin #2 yelled, struggling against Robin's grip.

"Hey, Lemon-Hater," Amy grinned. "Give me some of that salt." The blonde didn't even wait for the musician to pass the bag to her before snatching it out of his hand and sauntering over to the struggling undead. "Open wide!"

Without preamble, the ex-assassin shoved two lumps of sodium chloride into the beaks of the zombies. Their struggling slowed to a stop, the shadows within rising out of their mouths and flying away into the night.

"You're beautiful when you're killing my brethren!" the remaining zombie exclaimed with hearts in his eyes, wiggling in ways that should not have been anatomically possible.

"Excuse me, Mr. Zombie," Robin purred, bending down to be chest-to-eye with the now-drooling undead. "Could you please eat this for me?" She held out a lump of salt.

"Anything for a beauty such as yourself!" The zombie willing took the salt and threw it into its mouth, purifying itself in the process. The doguin gagged, coughing up the shadow of the cook which flew off.

"Well that was _super_ easy," Franky muttered. "If that's all that we have to deal with, then this shouldn't be a problem."

"I have a feeling that if they got Sanji, then they have Gin as well," Amy commented. "He's not as stupid as Sanji and we don't know how long their personalities remain. I mean, that zombie had Sanji's ideals, but didn't recognize us."

"I suppose they could have gotten Mr. Swordsman as well," Robin thought aloud. "Little Swordsman, Ms. Goldenweek, and the others, too. Hmm. I wonder what Ms. Ship's zombie would look like."

"If they did capture your friends," Brook put in, "then it's very likely that they are back on your ship. As I believe I said before, after taking a strong crew's shadows, Moria has them put on their ship, the rudder broken, and them sent off to sea to wander in the mist of the Florian Triangle."

"So what?" Franky questioned. "Are we just going to go back to the Sunny and hope everyone else ends up there?"

"It's as good a plan as any," Amy shrugged. "I take it you're going to come with us, Skeleton?"

"Whyever not? I must thank my shadow's rescuer, after all!"

 **End of Chapter 92**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	95. Frankenstein's Doctor and the Abduction

**Chapter 93:**  
 **Frankenstein's Doctor and The Abduction**

Chopper wiggled in the cage, a gag in his mouth preventing him from screaming. Steel-like spider silk held him fast, stopping the Zoan from transforming lest the restraints become too tight and he pop like a balloon. He glared at the Warlord in the room, Moria completely unaffected by the anger. The reindeer had been in this same situation since the spider-mice had kidnapped him from behind his friends' backs about five minutes prior, but Moria had yet to say a word. The only sounds that broke the heavy silence were the screeching of bats, Chopper's shifting, and the occasional "kiiishishi" cackle from Moria.

"It's ready, Master!" a trio of voices called, three small zombies running in with a wide coffin in their hands. They lowered it to the ground with a thump before the grinning Warlord and rushed over to a spotlight on the other side of the room.

Moria reached down, lifting the lid from the coffin. Inside was the still corpse of Dr. Hogback, his clothing cleaned of blood and the cut in his neck sewn shut. The body had since gone pale to starkly contrast with his dark clothing and the new tattoo on the side of the neck, S-Z 947.

"Even in death, you will find a way to serve me well, Hogback!" Moria exclaimed, moving the coffin to the side and reaching toward his prisoner. The lights in the room seemed to dim as the man opened the cage and pulled the struggling doctor from within. Chopper's eyes had gone wide with fear and, though try as he might, he could not escape the Warlord's large hand. With a cackle, Moria hung Chopper on a hook so that his hooves were just touching the floor. A spotlight flipped on behind the reindeer to reveal his defined shadow on the floor. "And now our mad doctor shall return anew!" Moria cried.

The shadow-man reached forward, delicately pinching the terrified Straw Hat's shadow before pulling it from the floor like velcro. Chopper swung forward, his feet still desperately clinging to the dark mass as the Warlord lifted a pair of giant scissors from a nearby table.

"No, wait!" Chopper cried, his struggling finally loosening the gag enough that he managed to spit it out. "Please don't do this!"

"Oh?" Moria questioned, choosing to answer. "Whyever not, Dr. Chopper?"

"This... This is wrong! The dead shouldn't come back to life! Let them rest in peace!"

"Kiiishishishi! But the dead are far easier to control than the living! You should rejoice, Dr. Chopper! Your shadow will be one of the most useful I've ever acquired!" The scissors drew closer.

"No! Plea-!"

SNIP! The sound of the scissors closing echoed around the room. The reindeer's eyes rolled into the back of his head, Chopper's limp form swinging on the hook to rock back and forth. His shadow wiggled, now free of the binding of the body, shifting between all seven of the Zoan's forms. Even so, Moria's hand was too big for it to escape. He brought the dark form up closer to his face.

"Kiiishishishi!" he laughed. "Forget your humanity and forget your former identity! I am your new master! Accept this contract and obey my command!" Chopper's Heavy Point shadow nodded slowly. Without preamble, Moria's hand swung down, slapping the shadow against the body of the late Dr. Hogback which rippled as it absorbed its new soul.

TH-THUMP

Hogback jerked as his heart beat once, his mouth opening to gasp air to give to his starved lungs. The corpse rose slowly, shaky limbs reaching out to pull the body from its container. Stepping out, Hogback's zombie kneeled before the Warlord.

"Hogback," Moria smirked. "It's good to have you back, Doctor."

"Even if you acknowledge me as a doctor," Hogback muttered, suddenly dancing with wavy arms, "that doesn't mean you'll get on my good side, you bastard~!"

"Uh, right," Moria muttered, confused. "Whatever. Hogback, head back to your lab and make sure you remember everything. I don't need any failed bodies like your first few attempts."

"Right away!" Hogback dashed off on all fours with more energy than the Warlord had ever seen him with while alive, Moria staring at his retreating form. He shook his head and directed his attention at the small trio of zombies.

"You three, take Dr. Chopper here back to the Straw Hats' ship."

"Yes, Master Moria!" The trio rushed forward, pulling the reindeer from the hook in the middle of the room and running off through the doorway.

* * *

"This area looks familiar, right?" Nami asked, the now-trio exiting a hallway and coming into what looked to be an entrance with a fancy staircase.

"I don't know!" Usopp answered. "This whole mansion looks the same on the inside!"

"We're getting closer to the Sunny," Merry announced. "I can feel her now."

"Is the Sunny a her?" Usopp questioned, trying to keep his mind off of Chopper lest he break down and have a panic attack. "I know you said he/she would have to decide, but is a week enough time?"

"In all honesty," Merry responded, "the Sunny doesn't really have a consciousness yet. That would probably take at least a month or so to form and several months before they could form a physical body like I did. I haven't even gotten whispers from the Sunny, so it's still up in the air. I'm just using 'her' because it's easier and that's what Captain Luffy said to do."

"Makes sense," Nami agreed. "And heaven knows we need more women on our crew."

"I disagree!" Usopp declared. "All of the women on our crew are scary!"

"Even Grace and Merry?" the navigator questioned.

"Yes! Grace can make you do whatever she wants with her paints and Merry has her hammer," -The fairy gripped said hammer tightly, a smirk on her face.- "as well as bits of everyone's personalities and fighting styles. So, yes. They're scary, too!"

"Well look at this," a voice purred. "My bride has returned to me." Somewhere to the right, a man faded into view. He was tall, standing half-a-head taller than Usopp, with wavy blond hair that came past his shoulders. He was dressed in dark clothing including navy pants, shirt, and boots all complemented by a matching open trench coat that brushed the top of his boots. He had a large, round hat that sat upon his head colored blue and white, but his most prominent feature was the cat's maw that was stitched onto his face, whiskers and all. Two beady eyes narrowed at Usopp and Merry as if warning them not to get in the way.

Merry, however, had different ideas.

"You're the pervert from the baths!" she exclaimed, pulling out her hammer and leveling it at the man. "I still owe you an ass-kicking for throwing me into a pillar!"

"Merry!" Usopp cried. "Language!"

"You will not keep me from my bride, little girl," the cat-man literally growled. His head turned, eyes locking with Nami's. "My name is Absalom. Do not forget, for that is the name of your future husband."

"For the last time," Nami spat, "I'm already married."

"And I don't care," Absalom waved off. "I've already decided. I'll give you one last chance to join me of your own free will."

"Like Hell I'll join you!" Nami declared, she and her companions pulling out their weapons. Absalom sighed and began to disappear.

"Oh no you don't!" Usopp began. "Gunpowder Star!" The pellet hit the floor with a mighty explosion, but the man had turned invisible and moved to dodge. Without Chopper, the pirates had no way to track the man. They closed ranks, falling in back-to-back on the stairs while the man's growling continued to fill the air.

"Zombie Generals!" Absalom barked from somewhere to the left. "Get in here!" A pair of double doors at the top of the stairs opened to admit the strangest collection of beings that any of the pirates had ever seen, and that was saying something for the Straw Hat crew. All of the zombies had gray skin, but that was were the similarities stopped. The number of arms they had ranged from two to four, their heights were between four and ten feet, and they wielded weapons of all shapes and sizes from swords and axes to guns.

Two zombies stepped out from the rest of the pack. The first was the corpse of a man that had black hair and a small mustache, missing teeth, nails stabbed through its skull, and some sort of plastic duck head protruding from the top of its head. It was dressed in a yellow shirt reading "your song", a brown tutu (for whatever reason), bandages around its head and legs, and had three swords strapped at the hip with a red-and-black hakama. An 850 was tattooed on the left side of the zombie's collarbone. The second zombie was the pigeon-headed one from before.

"Scars on the back are the shame of a swordsman," the first rasped in a gravelly voice, "but... I've got scars everywhere."

"Coo," Gin's zombie added. "Coo! Coo!"

Merry glanced at Nami and Usopp. "Zoro's shadow?"

"Zoro's shadow," they nodded. The zombie drew one sword.

"36 Caliber Phoenix!"

"Evasive maneuvers!" Merry yelled. She, Nami, and Usopp dove in different directions, leaving only the stairs to take the flying slash. With a coo, Gin's zombie charged at Merry, forcing the girl to jump back to avoid the steel tonfa that smashed the floor where she had been standing. Acting quickly, Merry landed on her feet and launched herself toward the undead hybrid.

"Battering Ram!" the fairy announced as her horns made contact with the creature's chest, sending the zombie tumbling down the flight of stairs. Merry had no such problems, flipping with all of Luffy's agility to land on the stairway with a crouch. The hybrid with the lightning-man's shadow cooed in pain at the bottom of the stairs, rubbing its feathered head. "You might have his shadow, but you aren't near as strong as the real Gin." Merry charged with a smirk.

Meanwhile, Usopp had found his own opponent in the form of a four-armed zombie wielding a pistol in each hand. Firing Lead Star after Lead Star, the sniper tried to keep up with the firing rate of the undead while simultaneously dodging both bullets and flying slashes. Rolling under a third 36 Caliber Phoenix, Usopp came up in a crouching position with Kabuto primed and aimed at the four-armed undead.

"Take this! Firebird Star!" A bird of flame erupted from the slingshot's pouch, flying through the air toward the mass of undead. The zombies seemed to fear the fire despite their strength and backed out of the attack's path. A zombie that had to have been made from the corpse of a half-Giant with an impressive beard jumped into the flaming projectile, a large, pink umbrella swinging up to dissipate the firebird into nothing like magic.

"No fair!" Usopp whined. "Ganging up is cheating!"

"Why do we care?" the bigger zombie rumbled. "Our orders er' jus' ta distract ya." It paused. "I prolly shouldn't'a said that. I should _not_ o' said that."

"Distract?" Usopp questioned before his eyes widened. "Nami!"

"Let go of me!" Nami's voice yelled from the other side of the room. Absalom stood behind Nami, his hands holding her fast and her Perfect Clima-Tact on the ground at his feet. A number of zombies paralyzed and twitching behind them. She flailed her legs, but the man held her firm.

"As much as a fiery woman like you turns me on," the man began, his breath tickling her ear, "I can't have you struggling." Bringing one hand up quickly, he struck the navigator on the head hard enough to knock her unconscious. Nami slumped as both she and the man began to fade out of the visible spectrum. "My wedding will be in half an hour!" Absalom told the Zombie Generals as he disappeared. "I expect you all to be there!"

"Yes, Master Absalom!"

"Coo!"

The different response drew Usopp's attention to where he found Merry trying to hold back a tonfa with both hands on her wooden hammer. Gin's zombie had its free tonfa raised over its head to strike while the fairy couldn't defend, but Absalom's declaration had shifted its focus. Merry took advantage of the undead hybrid's distraction, spinning around to throw off its balance and jumping into a spinning roundhouse kick. In a bastardized version of Sanji's fighting style, she executed her own rendition of his Three-Point Carve by kicking the pigeon-man-zombie in the face with her right leg, dropped into a handstand to thrust upwards into the zombie's beak with her left, and finally jumped back to lunge into the monster's gut with her horns.

"Three-Mast Galleon!" she named the combination. Her opponent staggered back, dropping its weapons to grasp at its stomach while cooing in pain.

"Come on, Merry!" Usopp yelled, running by and scooping up the klabautermann into his hands. "We can't beat them all!"

"But-!"

"No buts! We'll go back to the Sunny and plan from there!" Merry stared back at the zombies as her honorary uncle retreated with her in hand, said uncle bending down to grab Nami's weapon as they passed. The undead made no move to follow; their orders had been to distract them so Absalom could get away with Nami. They'd succeeded.

Merry growled. "Damn it!"

"Language!"

* * *

"There she is!" Usopp cried excitedly as he and Merry, who was riding on his shoulders, came through the arch dividing the dock and the tunnel into the island. The Cerberus that had chased them on their first trip into the island was still and lifeless in the tunnel, but that hadn't been their doing. Still, it was gone and that was all that mattered to the sniper. The Wood Fairy hadn't been as excited; she'd wanted to fight it, dammit!

"Ow! Would you look at that? Our _super_ sniper and fairy have come back!" Usopp's eyes snapped up, landing on their waving shipwright on the deck of the brig sloop. Usopp and Merry waved back as they hurried to the Sunny. Upon boarding, however, they were greeted with the sight of wooden bits and random articles scattered over the lawn deck.

"Yohohoho!" Brook laughed as they boarded. "Welcome back!"

"Ahhhh!" Usopp screeched, scrabbling to get away from the talking skeleton. Merry hopped off his shoulders, causing him to lose his balance and fall. "What the heck are you doing here?!"

"Your friends here invited me onboard because I know how to purify the zombies," Brook answered.

"Purify?" Usopp parroted.

"You're the one that killed that Cerberus!" Merry realized. "I wanted to fight it!"

"Yohoho! My apologies, Merry-san, but it was in our way and tried to stop us. Even then, it was already cut in half."

"We only got back a minute ago," Franky cut in, "but as you can see, I think the zombies have _super_ beaten us here."

"I checked the storage," Amy announced. "They took all of our food save for cheese and saltines. They took our money, too."

"The crackers make sense with the fact that salt is their weakness," Robin thought aloud, "but why leave the cheese?"

"Oh, that's easy," Brook answered. "Everyone on Thriller Bark knows Moria detests cheese."

"...Right," Usopp muttered. "Anyway, do you all know where the others are?"

"They should be on the ship somewhere," Franky responded, "but we-"

"Found them," Robin cut in, opening her eyes and uncrossing her arms. "They're in the dining room."

"Then what are we doing standing around here?" Merry asked.

"I guess we're waiting for Luffy, Nami, Chopper, and Grace," Amy replied. "Coby too, I suppose," she added as an afterthought.

"Yeah," Usopp chuckled awkwardly. "About that."

"What happened to Nami and Chopper?" Franky questioned, a brow arched. "They were with you, weren't they?"

"Chopper was kidnapped right behind us and Mrs. Nami was taken by an invisible cat-man pervert that wants to marry her," the klabautermann answered with a scowl. "I tried to hit him, but a wall of zombies got in the way."

"When did my life get so weird?" Amy lamented. "All I wanted to do was make great chocolate, but _noooo._ I just had to end up in an evil organization that gave me and my bomb-man partner the task of killing a group of pirates on a dinosaur-infested island where two Giants were fighting a century-long honor duel to the death before joining the pirates to protect my little sister. And now, here I am, on a creepy ghost island in the middle of the Florian Triangle, fighting zombies and hoping my shadow doesn't get stolen. And apparently there's a crazy, invisible, perverted cat-man trying to marry my rubber-man captain's weather-controlling wife."

"Woah woah woah!" Franky called, crossing his arms in an X. "What's this about a _super_ dinosaur-infested island?"

"Wow," Usopp blinked. "Life for us on the Grand Line is weirder than I thought. I mean, that's leaving out the parts where we saved a princess and her country, went to a different dimension to rescue some kids and steal gold, flew to Heaven and toppled their tyrannical government, partied with the angels, fell into an impenetrable Marine stronghold with an sky-octopus balloon, fought a lazy man made of ice who is apparently one of the strongest men in the world, and then declared war on the world itself before being saved by a living ship who is now a little girl with horns that calls me uncle." He shrugged. "I guess we just got use to the weird."

"Yohoho!" Brook laughed. "You people certainly have some amazing stories!"

"I like history as much as the next archeologist," Robin put in, "but I do believe we're burning moonlight standing around talking."

"Robin's right," Amy agreed. "We'll talk about how weird our lives are after we've kick the ass of the shadow-man with his army of undead."

Still glancing at each other from the oddness of it all, the group of six made their way to the dinning room. Inside were Gin, Sanji, Zoro, and Chopper, each of whom had their faces stretched with wooden clothesline pins and chopsticks and their hair, if it was long enough, stylized with ribbons of all colors. Of the four of them, only Sanji still had his shadow, and that was due to it passing on his chivalry and perverted nature to his now-purified dog-penguin zombie. All of them were unconscious or sleeping.

"So do we just wake them up or what?" Franky asked. "I mean, we could punch them."

"You will _not_ be punching Chopper," Robin stated sternly.

"Besides," Amy piped up, "I doubt a single punch from anyone other than an angry Nami could wake up any of these morons." She gestured to the humans. "Seriously, from what I've heard, Zoro slept through a blizzard while napping on deck. And that was _right after_ them getting to the Grand Line."

"I've got a sure-fire way to wake them up!" Usopp announced. "Everyone ready? You may want to step back."

Confused but intrigued, the other five did so. Usopp sucked in a breath.

 _"Don Krieg's beautiful master swordswoman discovered the cure to all diseases!"_

"Don Krieg?" Gin scowled.

"Beautiful?" Sanji muttered.

"Master swordswoman?" Zoro questioned.

"Cure to all diseases?" Chopper gasped.

"What the Hell?" Franky cried. "That shouldn't have worked!"

"Moving on from that," Amy waved off, "who wants to tell Luffy that there's some creepy pervert trying to marry his wife?"

"Not it!" Usopp, Franky, and Merry yelled in sync.

"Someone is trying to marry Nami-Swan?!"

"I might as well," Robin shrugged, pulling out her den-den.

BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... CA-LICK

"Hello?" Luffy asked through the snail. "What's up, guys?"

"Hello, Captain," Robin greeted. "I have some news for you that you may want to know."

 **End of Chapter 93**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	96. I Object!

**Chapter 94:**  
 **I Object**!

 _BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... CA-LICK_

 _"Hello?" Luffy asked through the snail. "What's up, guys?"_

 _"Hello, Captain," Robin greeted. "I have some news for you that you may want to know."_

* * *

"That bastard!" Luffy yelled, his voice carrying over both the snail on his wrist and through the hallways around him. A dozen or so spider-mice fell from the ceiling behind him, foaming at the mouth, but Luffy didn't notice their presence. "I'll stuff so much salt down his gullet, he'll dry out like a prune!"

"I don't think that's how that works, Luffy," Usopp muttered from the other side of the connection. "He's not a zombie, either. He has Devil Fruit powers, so he's alive."

"Ah," Brook interrupted. "I am dead, yet I have Devil Fruit powers!"

"He won't be alive after I'm done with him!" the captain declared. "No half-animal freak is going to marry my wife if I have anything to say about it!"

"Isn't their marriage only technical because of the wanted posters?" Merry questioned. Her voice carried over the den-den, but it was ignored by the captain.

"We all knew it was going to happen anyway," Usopp shrugged. "Best to not question it. What I want to know is how Luffy plans on finding Nami. Sure, he's got that sixth sense power from somewhere, but last we saw Nami was knocked out and he said he can't sense people who are unconscious."

"I might be able to help with that," Brook offered. "There is a chapel on the third floor of the mansion. I don't know why Moria has a chapel on his ship, but it's not new and I found it five years ago when my shadow was stolen."

"Thanks, Brook," Luffy said. "I think that was all I need." The captain closed his eyes and let his arms fall, stretching out his senses. He could still remember what Ryuma had felt like to his power. He'd seemed less-than-full, almost like a blurry picture. The zombies were easy to miss, even when whatever he now had wasn't fading in and out, but the stronger zombies still had more presence than the weaker ones. Either way, he was lucky the zombies had a presence at all or else some weird spiders with mice heads would have captured him several times over.

He could feel it. There was a large room on the floor below and far to the right where strong zombies were starting to gather. Their emotions were dulled, not really being alive, and their voices were too far away to be anything more than a diluted muffle, but he could still sense them. And with them was a single complete voice.

"This is it, this is it!" the voice cheered. "I wish there wasn't all this ceremony, but look at my bride!"

"Found him," Luffy growled, lifting his right hand. Making a fist, he punched downward, blowing a hole in the floor below and falling into the right level. He turned to where he could still vaguely hear the voice. Another voice joined the first, but this one seemed to almost echo through the hallway.

"If there is anyone who has an objection or reason to why Master Absalom and the pirate Nami should not be joined in holy matrimony, then speak now or forever hold your peace."

He could see it. The oak door was right in front of him. Slamming his right foot into the floor, Luffy's rubber leg pulsed and his skin began to glisten a lobster pink. He flashed forward in a cloud of steam, blasting the doors off their hinges and shouting the first thing that came to mind.

 _"I object!"_

As one, the Zombie Generals gasped at the interruption. Time seemed to slow as Luffy looked around the room. The Generals, minus Zoro's and Gin's, were scattered throughout several rows of pews all facing the altar at the front, two of them having been knocked out of their seats via flying doors. A large, golden cross was embedded into the wall with a pipe organ on the right side. At the end of the isle, which was covered in a red carpet, stood Absalom, a short zombie dressed in the robes of a priest, and Nami in a beautiful white wedding gown being supported by a plain, normal zombie. She was still unconscious.

"Oi!" the zombie with the umbrella yelled. "Who da Hell do ya think ya are, interuptin' da weddin' o' Professor Absalom?"

"Me?" Luffy questioned, cracking his knuckles. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy. And that's my wife he's trying to marry."

"What?!" all of the undead gasped.

"You!" Absalom cried, pointing at the literally streaming-mad pirate. "You're the bastard that stole my bride's heart! I guess I'll just have to kill you so she's a widow. Zombie Generals, attack!" The undead answered his call, jumping from the pews and charging toward the pirate captain. Luffy's eyes narrowed in the shade of his hat.

"Gum-Gum Jet Gatling!" His arms shot out, moving so quickly that they seemed to multiply before going invisible. Rubbery flesh met the bodies of every General, flinging them backwards in a storm of fists. The wall behind the quartet was reduced to rubble as the undead were plowed into it. The sounds seemed to get a reaction from Nami who stirred.

"Priest!" Absalom panicked, yelling at the zombie that had taken cover behind the altar. The priest didn't seem so afraid as annoyed that someone stopped the proceedings "Say it! Say it now!"

"Ah, do you, Master Ab-"

"Skip forward!" the man ordered. Nami was getting closer to consciousness. The priest grunted, but he was forced to follow the order.

"You may now kiss the bride." The zombie bowed, backing way from the member for the Mysterious Four and the pirate woman. Absalom leaned in quickly, hoping to pull off the marriage before Luffy could get there, as if that would stop him.

Luffy blurred, fading out of the invisibility-man's peripheral vision. Suddenly, Nami was gone.

"What?" he gaped. "Where'd she go?" He looked up, finding the pirate captain with his navigator in his arms. Luffy's eyes were shaded by the brim of his hat and steam still rose from his glossy skin, but his Second Gear was fading.

"You bastard," Luffy growled, raising his head so his eyes and those of Absalom met. "How dare you." The clear-man was suddenly assaulted with the full force of the pirate's rage and, if looks could kill at Luffy's current level, then Absalom would have been much farther than six feet under. Still, his stubborn pride and perverted nature would not allow him to back down. It was only one pirate!

"You will not keep me from my bride!"

"And that's me!" a woman shouted. Absalom and Luffy turned toward the door where another zombie had just appeared. This zombie had pinkish-purple skin and the head and appendages of a warthog, but the body of a large woman. She stood at Franky's height and was dressed in a wedding gown of her own. In her hooves, she wielded a pair of katana that were each about one-and-a-half times the size of a normal one. The veil of her outfit was lowered to hide her face, but her large tusks and angry, dark eyes could still be made out along with the spot of red lipstick over her lips.

"Lola?!" Absalom cried, identifying the undead woman/warthog hybrid. "What the Hell are you doing here?! I thought I ordered you to take out the pirates on their ship!"

"You did," the female zombie responded, stalking forward. "I was on their ship and ready to attack when I overheard their conversation. And what do you think I heard? That you were going to marry a woman other than me! How could you, Master Ab?!"

"Luffy?" Nami muttered, slowly opening her eyes. The captain glanced down at her and smiled.

"Lola, you're dead," Absalom answered with no sense of softness. "I've told you before that I'm never going to marry you. I need a living, breathing woman."

"That sucks for you, then," Luffy ground out, his attention moving back to the member of the Mysterious Four, "because you can't have mine. Nami is _my_ wife, not your bride." Now awake, Nami blushed from Luffy's words. "Get out of here before I decide to kick your ass into the next Pirate Era."

"Master Ab!" Lola scolded. "You were trying to marry another man's wife?! You shameless pervert!" Lola charged the invisibility-man, Absalom responding by screaming and jumping to the side. The female zombie sped past, ramming into and through the altar.

"Lola, you crazy woman! Stop interrupting my wedding!"

"I'm not marrying you!" Nami cried from Luffy's arms.

"I don't care who's marrying who," the priest zombie yelled, "but somebody better be getting married! I spent all night setting up this room and I'll not see it go to waste!"

Lola turned with a gleam in her eyes. "Master Ab~!" she sang.

"Hell no!" The cat-man bolted toward the door, his body becoming clearer as he went.

"You can't escape me, Master Ab!" Lola yelled, giving chase. "I memorized your scent a long time ago!" Luffy was about to follow to give the bastard the beating he deserved, but there was something more important he had to do.

"What a weird couple," Nami thought aloud as Luffy released her. She turned to look at her lover, only to see him down on one knee. "Luffy? What are you doing?" He reached out and took one of her hands.

"Well, Merry said something about our marriage only being technical because of our wanted posters," he began, "so it's not really real. I've been talking to some of the other members about this mystery feeling I've been having since before we got to Skypia. I..." He gulped. "I love you, Nami. I've never said it before and the only one I've ever heard it from was my Gramps, and he's scary, but... I don't know. I don't know how to say it. I've always described stuff that I don't understand as mystery things, but this mystery feeling has a name now. I love you, Nami. Will you marry me for real and become my future Pirate Queen?"

"Awww," the Zombie Generals cooed. Without Absalom there to give them orders, they were as harmless as a bag of puppies.

"I love you, too, Luffy," Nami choked out through the tears in her eyes. "You've always been there when I needed you most. You came for me when I told you not to and you saved me from the Hell I'd been trapped in for almost a decade. I love you so much, so yes, I'll marry you. I'll become your Pirate Queen."

"Thank Goda!" the priest zombie shouted. He shuffled over and turned to Luffy. "Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"Yes, I do."

He turned to Nami. "And do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do," she answered. "I do with all my heart."

"Then by the power vested in me by my captain, Gecko Moria, and the shadow of an ordained minister that acts as my soul, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." Luffy and Nami leaned in, meeting each other in a passionate kiss. The Zombie Generals let out a loud cheer for the newlyweds. Nami was tempted to yell at them, but she decided that now wasn't the time and focused back on her husband.

"You said your name was Monkey D. Luffy, right?" the zombie priest asked, getting a nod from the captain. "Then I now present to you, Zombie Generals and all in attendance, Monkey D. Luffy and Monkey D. Nami!"

"Waaahhhh!" Franky's voice wailed. Luffy and Nami jolted, shocked at the sudden sound that was coming from the captain's wrist. Luffy blinked, realizing that he never shut off the call. How it hadn't closed on its own, he ha no idea. "What a beautiful thing! I'm not crying! You are!"

"Don't scream into the snail, you idiot!" Amy chastised. "They'll hear you!"

"Too late for that," Nami sighed.

"Congratulations!" Brook cried. "To see two young people bound together in a bond of love so strong fills my heart with joy! Ah! But I don't have a heart! Yohohoho!"

"Nami-swan, whyyyyyyy?!" Sanji blubbered, causing the snail to cry more tears than Franky had.

"So they're married now," Zoro waved off. "Big deal. They were basically married anyway. Now can we get to the part were we either beat up Moria or track down Shrimp and Shrimpette?"

"You heartless moron!" Sanji yelled. "Don't you know that marriage is a beautiful thing in a woman's life! Especially a beauty like Nami-swan!"

"Shut up, you swirly-browed pervert!" The sounds of them fighting became background noise.

"Little Swordsman and Ms. Goldenweek can handle themselves," Robin announced. "They aren't children."

"No, but they _are_ missing," Amy responded with a hint of guilt in her voice. "Zoro isn't a child, either, but we have to keep looking for him since he wanders off like a toddler."

"Hey!"

"Who's to say his sense of direction hasn't rubbed off on Pinky?" Amy finished, trying to blame Coby for her own decision to send him and Grace away from the graveyard battlefield.

"I don't think that sort of thing happens," Merry thought aloud. "Coby's strong and there aren't any Logias around for Grace's paint to be ineffective against, so I'm sure they're fine."

"Unless they ran into those ghosts," Gin put in. "Those things are devastating."

"It would be a shame if those spirits have stolen their souls and carried them to the underworld."

"Robin!" most of the crew cried.

"Baahahaha!" Merry laughed, Robin's giggling joining in a second afterward.

"Seriously, Guys," Usopp spoke up. "We have about four hours of moonlight before the sun comes out and Zoro, Gin, and Chopper are still missing their shadows. Oh, Nami. I have your weapon, by the way."

"Thanks, Usopp," the navigator replied. "Here's the plan for now. Luffy and I will finish up here and then meet you all in the dining room. Usopp, Chopper, Merry, Robin, and I will go look for Coby and Grace. Everyone else will go after Moria. Any questions?"

"Why don't I get to go after Moria?" Merry pouted.

"Because I said so," Nami answered smoothly. "And because I'm the captain's wife, you have to do what I say. Any more questions?"

"No, ma'am!" the rest of the crew sans Robin chorused.

"Alright!" Luffy cheered. "We're gonna kick Moria's ass!" The call clicked off, allowing the newlyweds to close Luffy's den-den. "You said we were going to finish up here, Nami?"

She nodded and gestured toward the Zombie Generals who had been quiet up to that point. "These were the ones that helped kidnap me."

"I see," Luffy responded, cracking his knuckles.

Just because the Zombie Generals didn't have working sweat glands didn't stop them from breaking out in a cold sweat at the sight of the suddenly-bloodthirsty captain.

"So who's first?" he questioned, steam beginning to rise from his body.

"This ain' good," the large zombie rumbled. "This really ain' good."

 **End of Chapter 94**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	97. Two More Zombies

**Hi, all! It seemed like most people liked the last chapter, though no one was happy to see "that cat-faced bastard" get away. You needn't worry. See, I thought that Sanji fighting him would be too similar to the Anime and Luffy fighting him would be cliche and too quick, so he'll get a different opponent soon.**

 **In other news, a reviewer PMed me and mentioned that I had forgotten to give Franky his Straw Hat tattoo. Indeed I had, so I will rectify that by describing it in this chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter 95:**  
 **Two More Zombies**

"'Tri-Horn' Coby and 'Mood Painter' Grace," Moria read, his eyes flinting from the wanted posters in his hand and the unconscious pirates in the cage before him. The male of the two had been relieved of his weapons on the way there, the two swords sent down to the armory where they were being examined; it had been foolish to leave the master with his. "Perona had these two for how long?"

"About an hour," Hildon answered from his perch. "She was trying to get answers out of them, but I don't know if she got what she wanted."

"Humf," Moria huffed. "It was probably something about those 'cute little pirates' she was fawning over when the Straw Hats first arrived. Ah well. It doesn't matter. Hogback!"

"Yes?!" the new zombie with Chopper's shadow responded, stepping out of the shadows and all but bouncing.

"Do we have any zombies ready for a painter girl and a boy with three horns?"

"Ah, yes, for the girl," Hogback responded, "but it wouldn't be too hard to add horns to one of the other zombies."

"Get to work, Doctor," the shadow-man ordered. "I'm counting on you."

"Just because you say~"

"Get to work!" the Warlord yelled, cutting the dancing zombie off. Hogback jumped and nodded before grabbing a coffin and running out of the room.

"Quite energetic, isn't he?" Hildon chuckled. "I've never seen him move so quickly."

"I hope it passes soon," Moria grumbled. "I'd like the quiet mad genius back rather than the bubbly idiot the reindeer's shadow has turned him into."

"You know how the personalities are, Master," Hildon waved off. "It's an animal shadow in a human body. Just give it a few hours."

"Yes," the man sighed. "Where are Perona and Absalom?"

"Mistress Perona is in her room; you know how she is about work, but last I heard from the spider-mice, Lola was chasing Master Absalom along the northern shore. She's really determined tonight after hearing he was willing to marry."

"I wish that aspect of her personality had faded by now," Moria shrugged, "but obsessions don't go away. Ah, but what are we waiting around for? We might as well pass the time with taking the shadow of this young lady! Hildon, if you would?" The vampire-like zombie nodded and swooped down, flicking the switch on the giant spotlight Moria used for shadow-stealing before moving toward the coffins on the east end of the room. The large man, meanwhile, opened the cage and pried the woman out, hanging her by the hook so her feet just touched her shadow on the floor. "Do you have the right body yet, Hildon?"

"Yes, Master," the zombie replied, scooting a smaller coffin to the large man. Once it was within arms length, Moria reached over and all but ripped off the lid. Inside was the body of a young teenaged girl with shoulder-length blonde hair dyed with different strips of color and grey-tinted skin. Scars stitched together with thread of all colors littered the girl's body, the most noticeable of which ran from the bridge of the nose to above the right eye and was closed with green stitches. Also visible were the swirling scars in blue going down the left arm, purple wrapping around the right, and the orange scars looping around the right leg. The corpse's clothing included a sleeveless, rainbow-striped crop top, jean shorts, and brown hiking boots. The short shirt not only revealed the stomach, but also the bellybutton piercing that was there and the X-shaped red and gold scar that contrasted with the skin tone. The tattoo on the left arm read "Z-892", showing that the body had been waiting for a soul for a short while.

"Good choice, Hildon," Moria complemented. "With a body this similar, the personality of the shadow might not last five minutes."

"It's not often we have young, female shadows," Hildon agreed, "so there's something of a backlog with bodies like this one."

"Yes, I know," Moria acknowledged. "Now go fetch the boy's swords from the armory and check in with Hogback. I'd like to take the boy's shadow as soon as I'm done with this one."

"Understood, Master!" Hildon bowed and took wing, flying down one of the corridors. Moria watched until he was out of sight before turning back to the task at hand. He reached down over the coffin, peeling the redhead girl's shadow off the floor and pulling her forward by her feet. Moria sighed.

"It's always better when they scream and beg," he whined, hefting up his scissors in preparation of removing one more shadow. With a snip, Grace's shadow was separated from her feet, leaving the girl free to swing back. Her shadow wiggled, trying to free it's arms from Moria's massive hand while the Warlord brought it up to his face.

"Renounce your past self and release your identity. I am your new master. Accept this contract and have new life!" The shadow nodded weakly, allowing Moria to swing it down into the body of the blonde. Her heart beat once for the first time in a year and her eyes opened to reveal two different eyes, one blue and the other green. "Welcome back to life, Iro," Moria greeted, naming the zombie. "Why don't you take your weapons from your former master and wait with me?"

The new zombie nodded, walking over the Grace who was still hanging from the hook. Reaching up, the zombie relieved the ginger of her hat, her palette and paints, and a box of rice crackers. Silent as the dead, she walked back to Moria, sat down to lean against him, and opened the box.

"A zombie after my own heart!" Moria noted. "Kiishishishi!" The shadow-man and the zombie sat in silence for the next few minutes, the only actions either of them doing including moving the unconscious girl back into the cage and chewing on rice crackers. Coby started to stir.

"Ow," he moaned, a hand coming up to rub his head in an attempt to soothe the pounding headache there. "What hit me?" Blinking his eyes clear, he noted that he was not on the Sunny like he was expecting, immediately putting him on alert. The familiar weight of his Sabaku no Kiba was absent and a bracelet made of Sea Prism Stone was clasped on his right wrist. A paint-splattered smock in the corner of his vision attracted his attention.

"Grace!" he cried, shuffling over to the unconscious female. "Grace! Can you hear me?" Coby reached out and rested a hand on her shoulder and tried to shake her awake, but the girl didn't so much as stir. "Grace, please wake up!"

"Kiishishishi!" Moria laughed at the display. "Good. You're awake. It's more fun when they squirm. This one didn't make a peep when I took her shadow."

"You bastard!" Coby yelled, grabbing the bars of the cage. "Give Grace her shadow back right now or I swear to Goda-!"

"You'll what?" the Warlord questioned with a smirk. "I'm out of your league. There's nothing you could do to even touch me. I've already taken five of your crewmates' shadows; I only need five more before I send you all adrift into the Florian Triangle. And that number's about to go down by one!"

"We're back, Master!" a trio of voices cried, three small zombies running into the room with a coffin in their hands. "Master Hogback said he had too much work to come back himself, but he finished this for you!"

"Good, good. Bring it here."

"Yes, Master!" The trio ran over, dropping the box they carried at the feet of the Warlord. Moria, however, made no move to reach for it.

"Iro," he stated, causing the new zombie to look up at him. "Open that coffin for me."

"...Ok." The zombie yawned, stretching. Leaving the box of crackers behind, Iro stood and walked over to the closed coffin. She stood next to the wooden box, staring at it as if wanting the lid to remove itself. When no such thing occurred, the zombie girl sighed and set her hands on the lid, pushing it off of the box to reveal the box's contents.

Inside was the body of a young man with brown hair. He was very pale from lack of blood flow and was dressed in what appeared to be a business suit, tie and all, though the tie had different dinosaurs on it. Despite this apparent normality, the image of a regular body was ruined by the three horns implanted in the face of the man. The two horns which protruded from the forehead were elephant in origin and the third, which was stitched into the nose, seemed to come from a rhino, but neither of those animals could have been very old based on the sizes of the horns, each one about 10 inches.

"Is that-?" Coby began.

"What?" Moria taunted. "What were you going to say? Is that your shadow's new body? Because it is!"

"No," Coby denied. "I was going to ask if that is the zombie with Grace's shadow."

"...Kiishishishi!" Moria laughed, throwing his head back. "Kiishishishi! Kiishishishishishishi! How cute! You care more for this little girl than about yourself! Well why don't I do you a favor and take your shadow so both of you can spend the rest of your lives in the shadows together! Iro!" The zombie turned. "Subdue this pirate."

"...Understood, Master." The zombie girl approached the cage, pulling out Grace's pallet and paintbrush. Coby backed away, getting as far from the undead as the cage would allow, but he knew it was to be a fruitless endeavor. Grace's aim with liquid paint was phenomenal and he was defenseless without his swords or powers. He closed his eyes, silently cursing his uselessness.

 _Captain Luffy. Save us._

"Colors Trap, Sadness Blue."

"KIISHISHISHISHI!"

* * *

 _Captain Luffy. Save us._

"Coby?" Luffy questioned, stopping in the middle of the hallway. Nami continued forward a dozen steps, causing Luffy's arm to stretch due to their conjoined hands.

"Luffy?" she asked, turning and releasing his hand which snapped back to its proper length. "What's wrong?"

"I could have sworn I just heard Coby's voice." Luffy's gaze roved over the stone walls, passing over Nami in the wedding dress she had torn for more maneuverability, but whatever power was allowing him to hear these voices was fading quickly. Coby's voice was the clearest thing he'd heard all night, but now he couldn't even feel Nami who was right next to him.

"...What'd he say?"

"Help us," Luffy answered without hesitation. "Moria must have captured him and Grace."

"Damn it," the navigator cursed. "What do we do now? We were assuming they were either lost or that whoever had them wasn't going to give them to Moria so soon."

"Guess they changed their mind," Luffy shrugged. "Since Moria has Grace and Coby, I suppose we could just all attack him at once."

"Come on," Nami insisted. "We're almost to the dining hall, I remember the way since we passed the bathroom a couple corridors back."

"Whatever you say." The duo continued down the hall, shoving the doors at the end open to reveal the downward staircase it led to. The rest of the crew jumped at the sudden sound, turning to look at the newlyweds. The zombies that Luffy, Nami, Usopp, Chopper, and Grace had beaten up earlier in the night were all now motionless, the last few stragglers still trying to hold their stolen shadows to no avail.

"Bad news, everyone," Nami began.

"You two are getting divorced?" Sanji tried, attempting to hide the hope in his voice. "What a shame. I'll make you a pick-me-up as soon are we're out of here, Nami-swan!"

"What? No! Moria has Coby and Grace!"

"No!" Amy yelled, covering up the cook's disappointed sigh. "If that bastard lays even a finger on my little sister, I swear I'll eviscerate him from the balls up!"

"Oh dear," Robin sighed. "In that case, there will be two more zombies we must defeat. I wonder what they'll look like." She gasped. "Oh my! I don't have a wedding gift for our newlyweds!"

"Couldn't you be a little less nonchalant about this?!" Gin questioned. "That makes five of us without our shadows now."

"Yeah," Merry acknowledged, "but most of us know the weaknesses of our crewmembers better than they do. We shouldn't have trouble taking down their zombies. I've still got a beef with Gin's to settle."

"Except that you're coming with me," Usopp stated. "I'm not letting you out of my sight until this island-ship is nothing but a spot in the distance."

"Uncle Usopp!" Merry whined.

"No, he's right," Nami commented. "We should stick together in pairs; they were able to pick us off when we were in bigger groups. Our zombies could be scattered all over the mansion, too, so we'll split up and take down every zombie we see, but aim for ones you can identify. I'll go with Luffy."

"I'll take Gin," Amy announced. "If we don't find his shadow by daybreak, then I can shield him with my parasol."

"But Amy-chwan-!" Sanji gasped.

"And I will take Mr. Swordsman," Robin offered, ignoring how Sanji's head whipped around to stare at her. "I'll be able to 'keep an eye on him' in case he gets lost."

"But Robin-chwan-!"

"I don't get lost," Zoro mumbled. "The world just moves around me."

"I guess I'll go with Reindeer-Bro," Franky commented. "He doesn't weigh much, so we can get places _super_ quickly if I carry him. And worst comes to worst, I can stuff him in my freezer and he'll be fine. Also, I would like to note that the Thousand Sunny was my _super_ wedding gift to our captain and navigator." Franky struck his usual pose with his forearms together to make a start. He had added to the design, each star now holding half of a metal skull, one half black with white highlights and the other with its colors inverted. The skull, which came together in Franky's _Super_ Pose, also bore a blue pompadore not unlike the cyborg's.

"Yohohoho!" Brook laughed. "I suppose that leaves you and me, Sanji-san."

"Damn it," Sanji cried, punching the floor with tears streaming down his face. "All my mellorines are leaving me for the shitheads! All I'm left with is the corpse!"

"There there, Sanji," Luffy chuckled, rubbing circles over his back. "There will be plenty of other women to turn you down."

If anything, Sanji got more depressed.

"Alright, everyone!" Nami shouted. "We don't have all day! Let's get to it!"

 _"Yeah!"_ the assembled crew yelled with much enthusiasm, minus Sanji.

"And someone find the their money vault while we're at it!"

"Yeah..." the assembled crew muttered with less enthusiasm.

"...And the food!" Nami added.

 ** _"YEAH!"_**

 **End of Chapter 95**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	98. The Beginnings of Chaos

**Chapter 96:**  
 **The Beginnings of Chaos**

"So..." Nami began. "Do you all know which way you're going?"

"Yohoho, Nami-san," Brook bowed. "If you would like, I would be honored to escort you and your husband toward Moria's lair. It is likely that he keeps his stolen wealth close by."

"Thank you, Brook," Nami accepted. "That would be a lovely wedding gift."

"Ah," the skeleton continued. "While we're waiting to start, would you mind showing me-"

"Like Hell!" Luffy and Nami roared in tandem.

"Never you mind," Brook all but squeaked. "Shall we get going, then? Moria should be this way." The undead musician turned and gestured toward a staircase on the far side of the room.

"Hey, Nami!" Amy called before everyone could go their separate ways. "If you find Grace and Pinky, you can wake them up by insulting their obsessions. That worked on the morons he caught before."

"Good to know!"

The crew spilt up. Luffy, Nami, and Sanji followed Brook, Amy and Gin taking the stairs to the immediate left of the former group's while Merry led Usopp up the ones on the right. Franky decided he and Chopper were too _super_ for stairs or doors and punched a hole in one of the adjacent walls. Zoro started walking toward the broken outer door, turned toward a set of stairs on the other side of the room, jumped up onto the chandelier and the limp bear rug zombie thereupon, walked in a good ten circles up there, dropped onto the dining table, started walking toward the outer door once more, and cut an opening out of the wall next to it. Robin chose to follow without comment, wanting to see where they would go with Zoro's sense of direction.

* * *

 **Usopp and Merry**

"Would you slow down, Merry?" Usopp all but demanded. "My poor old heart can't take much more of this."

"You're 17, Uncle Usopp," Merry laughed, swinging her hammer idly as she skipped along a corridor. "Your heart is fine! I should know, I got the best aspects of everyone on the crew that could be stuffed inside this body, and your blood pressure was one of them! You've probably got the strongest heart out of the crew, literally speaking."

Usopp didn't seem comforted by that remark. Every now and then, a Surprise Zombie would jump out at the pair, giving Usopp a fright until the thing would attack Merry, forcing him to get over his fear in the wake of anger. The little klabautermann could only get a few whacks in on each zombie before Usopp's expert aim ended each of their unlives.

"Look, Uncle Usopp!" Merry laughed, smacking a suit of armor apart with a loud _clang._ "We're making plenty of progress!"

"Yeah," Usopp muttered to himself. "Yeah! None of these zombies are any challenge alone! We'll be fine!"

Unfortunately, as many of you readers know, there are just some things one shouldn't say, lest Fate decide it was time to affirm who was boss.

"Horo-horo-horo-horo!" The ominous laughter echoed through the open room the duo found themselves standing in. "How wonderful! One of the cute little pirates that I wanted has wandered into my part of the castle! Horo-horo-horo-horo!"

"W-Who are you?" Usopp demanded, spinning around with Kabuto primed to fire at a moment's notice. Merry, too, fell into a defensive stance, shuffling backwards until she and the sniper were back-to-back. "Sh-Show yourself!"

"Over here, Long-Nose." Usopp and Merry spun around, the former aiming his Kabuto at the floating form of Perona. She was without her body, her soul floating freely three feet in the air and Kumashi standing behind her. Usopp narrowed his eyes and fired a Lead Star at the woman, but she didn't so much as flinch when the projectile passed through her.

"Ahhh!" Usopp screamed. "Ghost!"

"So cool!" Merry gasped. "Hey, do you wanna join our crew?!"

"Merry!"

"Horo-horo-horo-horo!" the hollow-woman laughed before her smile twisted and her voice took on a predatory tone. "No, I don't think so, little girl, but you'll be joining me! Negative Hollow!"

* * *

 **Gin and Amy**

Gin whistled quietly, his old East Blue tune echoing through the corridors as he and Amy walked along. Neither said anything, content with the relative silence between them for the moment. They continued winding through the manor, but no zombies presented themselves. Gin's song slowed to an end, leaving them in silence.

"...Is it just me," Gin began, "or does it seem like Zoro's started acting like a father to Coby?"

"That depends," Amy responded. "Has Robin become something of a mother to Chopper? She's become really protective of him."

"Hmm," Gin hummed, considering the idea. Music began to drift through the air. The Electric Devil and the Weightless Woman turned to look at each other, their conversation all but forgotten.

"Shall we?" he asked.

"We shall." she nodded. With no more spoken agreement, the two turned toward where the music, some slow tune from the South Blue, was coming from. The music lead them toward the leftmost part of the manor. The sadistic duo paused outside of a pair of double doors.

"100 Beris says we find Coby's and Grace's zombies inside," Gin challenged. "Another 100 if they're dancing."

"With how dense Pinky is, there's no way anything has changed since we last saw them. I bet Luffy and Nami ended up taking a detour."

"Time to put your money where your mouth is." Gin smirked, pushing the door open as quietly as the creepy squeaking would allow so as to not disturb whoever was inside. The duo poked their heads through as soon as the crack was wide enough, allowing them to see.

The room appeared to be an expansive ballroom decorated for a festive atmosphere. Streamers of all colors were draped from the ceiling and there were several balloons reading "CONGRATULATIONS!" around the room interspersed with round tables. A buffet sat on a long, rectangular table along the far left wall, some of the dishes still visibly steaming and a white cake at the center of it all. In all likelihood, the room was probably that way in preparation for a reception after Absalom's forceful marriage to Nami before Luffy stepped in. There was a large DJ setup on the far side of the room from the doors, but it was unmanned since most of the zombies were likely to have been called away. Instead, the music originated from an old phonograph set on a chair, a wide record spinning lazily in the center.

Mirroring the record were the pair of zombies in the center of the dance floor. The first was a young, male zombie with brown hair, a nice suit, three implanted horns, and Coby's crossed swords strapped to his back. The second, who stood half-a-head shorter, was a colorful young woman in casual wear which clashed with her partner's suit and had Grace's pallet strapped to her waist, though neither seemed to mind as they were too focused on each other. The two slowly spun together in time with the music, the taller male leading. Seeing this, Gin and Amy backed out of the doorway.

"Here's your money," Amy sighed, passing the male a couple of coins. "Damn it. I knew it was going to happen eventually, but now we'll have to put up with them getting mushy, and that is nothing I want to see my little sister doing. What's happened since we saw them in the graveyard?"

"I don't know," Gin whispered. "I didn't know Coby could dance, either. That's really impressive. But I don't think their zombies prove anything. It could be that zombies just don't have as many inhibitions as the living, if they have any at all."

"I think the skeleton said something about the zombies retaining muscle memories from when they were alive," Amy commented, "so it might be that the body with Pinky's shadow knew how to dance. But that's not the point. We should come up with a plan before we attack."

"I'll leave that up to you, Ms. Ex-Assassin," Gin smirked. "I think I'll watch these two dance for a while. Maybe you could join me for a song or two?" He winked.

"You flirt!" Amy smiled, smacking the lightning-man in the arm. "You just gave me the perfect plan on how to get close to them. Luckily, I've infiltrated a few balls while working for Baroque Works. Now shut up, take my hand, and follow my lead."

* * *

 **Franky and Chopper**

"Ow!" Franky yelled as he punched through yet another wall, collapsing it on the suit of armor on the other side. The armor, however, did not move like the last one had. Chopper rode on his shoulders, cheering the cyborg on. "I'm feelin' _super!"_

"Stop wrecking the manor!" half a dozen surprise painting zombies shouted, accidentally giving themselves away. Franky smirked, pulling out the nunchucks he'd strapped to his back. The zombies gulped.

"You're so strong, Franky!" Chopper awed with stars in his eyes as the mechanized human shoved salt down the throat of the last zombie.

"Please," Franky scoffed, securing the nunchucks on his back. "These things are nothing for a _super_ guy like me! I wonder if this place has any real challenges."

Fortunately or unfortunately, the world of One Piece seems to have an "ask and you shall receive" policy for trouble.

"Coo," something hissed from the shadows of the hallway. Franky whipped around, almost throwing Chopper off with the speed.

"Who's there?" the cyborg demanded. "Show yourself!"

"Coo. COO!" Something smashed into one side of the hallway, cracks spiraling out from the shadows. The sound repeated, somewhat higher, the cracks widening and spanning the ceiling. The damage was too much for the stonework, the top of the hall quickly crumbling. Franky grabbed Chopper from his shoulders and covered the reindeer with his metal arms, protecting the doctor from the worst of the rubble. Now that the roof was gone, light flowed in from the windows of the floor above, illuminating the zombie. Gin's zombie.

"...Is that a pigeon?" Franky questioned, staring at the stitched-together, undead creature.

"Where would Moria have found a pigeon that big?" Chopper gasped. "And how did he connect its avian spinal column to that of the human body? Does the shadow act as a substitute brain since that of a bird would not have the capacity to control all the neurons needed to work human hands?"

"This is Devil Fruit bullshit, Reindeer-Bro," Franky responded, now eyeing the strange zombie. "And didn't Long-Nose and Little Sis tell us that Gin's zombie was part bird?"

"Coo!" the zombie cooed, lunging forward. In response, Franky grabbed Chopper and rolled to the side, leaving the floor to take the high-velocity tonfa. The fight had begun.

* * *

 **Zoro and Robin**

"Mr. Swordsman?" Robin questioned, jumping from one tree branch to another as she followed the green-haired man's path exactly. They had passed the dock only two minutes ago, but by her estimate, they were already on the northern side of the island. The forest abruptly ended. "Do you, by any chance, have a destination in mind?"

"Of course I do," Zoro stated, climbing a boulder when there was clearly open area on either side of it without batting an eye. "We're headed to Moria's lair at the top of the manor."

Robin blinked, using her Devil Fruit powers to bloom a staircase of arms up and over the boulder and into the wide field on the other side. "You mean the manor on Thriller Bark, correct?"

"Obviously." Zoro continued forward, "forward" being a relative term. He moved in the same general direction overall, but he couldn't go more than five steps without turning.

"Then you must mean the manor back the way we came." Zoro froze mid-step, his right foot inches over a bubbling stream that cut through the meadow. Turning his head slowly, the swordsman was able to make out the silhouette of Moria's castle.

"Damn it!" he cursed. "Moria must have moved the damn thing!"

"Oh no," Robin denied, giggling. "I've kept several eyes on the mansion since we went into the woods. It hasn't moved an inch."

"What are you-?"

"Goda dammit, Lola! Leave me alone!"

"On second thought," Robin corrected, "perhaps your sense of direction isn't wrong at all." Running into the field from the left side was the Clear-Clear cat-man, screaming like a little girl as he ran from a giant warthog zombie in a wedding dress. Absalom and Zoro met each other's eyes from across the field, giving Lola enough time to tackle the member of the Mysterious Four.

"Lola, stop it!" Absalom yelled, thinking quickly in order to save himself from her deadly kisses. "We can't do this right now!"

"Does that mean we can do it later?" the warthog asked flirtatiously, batting her eyes at the man pinned below her.

"No!... Er, I mean yes! How about this, Lola?" The man tried to wiggle free from the zombie's grip. "If you defeat one of those pirates over there, I'll flirt with you." Lola's eyes took on an eerie red glow. "And if you beat them both, I'll marry you."

All motion in the field stopped, even the wind vanishing in the wake of the man's statement. The pirates could fully tell Absalom had to intention of keeping either of those promises, but Lola either didn't notice or didn't care.

"And if you fail to do either," Absalom continued in the silence, "then I'll marry that pirate beauty over there!" The cat-man wiggled an arm free from Lola's slightly-relaxed grip, pointing at Robin to punctuate his final statement.

"HELL NO!" Zoro and Lola yelled in tandem while Robin looked shocked. "YOU ARE NOT MARRYING ROBIN/THAT WOMAN!"

"I will!" Absalom declared with a smirk. "That is, if you don't defeat them, Lola."

"...RAAAAAAGHHHHH!"

 **End of Chapter 96**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	99. Pirates Vs Zombies (Part 1)

**Here we go with the inevitable fight scenes! I hope these fulfill all your expectations! This is, obviously, only the first part. There will be five battles is total before Moria steps in...**

* * *

 **Chapter 97:**  
 **Pirates vs. Zombies (part 1)**

 **Luffy, Nami, Sanji, and Brook**

"Quickly now! This way!" The trio of Straw Hats continued to follow the undead musician, the skeleton ahead of them cutting through zombies like paper. It seemed that, now that Brook had both his shadow returned and backup behind him, his spirits had been lifted to a level he hadn't felt in over fifty long years. He felt so alive! ...Oh, wait.

"Yohohoho!" the skeleton laughed. "This is wonderful!"

"Then are you going to join our crew?" Luffy asked, his arm stretching to punch the helmet off of an armored zombie.

"If this keeps up, I very well might!" Brook answered, decapitating the zombie Luffy had punched and shoving salt into the open throat. The quartet passed through an open archway, leading them out onto a stone bridge connecting the manor proper to a different spire. "We are almost there!" Brook informed the group.

"But you will never get there!" another voice interrupted from above. The group of four looked up to see a zombie staring down at them from a giant spider web. The zombie was an oversized spider monkey, literally. It had the body of a giant spider which was predominantly black with yellow circles on the thorax and yellow rings on all eight legs, the two front legs ending in large monkey paws. The head, which was about as tall as Luffy, was that of a monkey with half of an aviator helmet over the the right half of its face and large ears on either side. Bandages were wrapped around the creature's body and wrists, hiding most of the scars that had to be there. Finally, a monkey tail protruded from the back of the zombie.

"Monkey, monkey!" the zombie chanted. "You pirates will not reach Master Moria! I, Tararan the Spider Monkey, will stop you! Spider-mice, come!" With the end of his order, Tararan's web was flooded with tiny, dark shapes and one human one. The human-sized zombie jumped from the web, landing in a crouch before the pirates. It was Zoro's zombie.

"This doesn't look like the chapel," the zombie muttered. "That pigeon Tesla said to go right. The damn chapel must have moved."

"You know that's bad for your knees, right?" Sanji questioned as he indicated the zombie's crouched position with his cigarette, directing the question toward his fellow pirates and trying to keep his eyes off the giant spider.

"I don't think it matters to zombies," Nami replied. "Or rubber-men. Or if you don't really have knees."

"Yohoho!" Brook laughed. "You are certainly correct, Nami-san! But I... wait. You stole my joke!"

"What the Hell are you doing here, Jigoro?" Tararan asked. "Master Hogback wanted you for protection."

"Whatever," the directionless zombie waved off, his eyes narrowing on Sanji. "Something more important just came up."

"Luffy," Sanji stated, "Nami-swan. Go on ahead. I'll handle this marimo."

"What did you just call me, you swirly-eyed bastard?!"

"I called you a marimo, you shitty swordsman!" Sanji and Jigoro charged each other, the rest of the world forgotten.

"Please do go on," Brook insisted, unsheathing his cane-sword. "Moria's lair should be right through that door. I will stay behind to defeat this monstrosity and defend the bridge."

"Monkey, monkey! Oh no, you don't! Sticky Spider Net!" Tararan fired a web of silk from his backside, forcing Luffy and Nami to roll forward and Brook to jump back. Grabbing her hand, Luffy pulled Nami forward as fast as he thought her regular human body could handle. Unfortunately, Tararan's undead patchwork was faster. He appeared in front of them before either Luffy or Nami could react. "Monkey's Paw Wish!"

Tararan smacked the couple, only giving them enough time for Luffy to grab Nami in a hug to take the worst of it with his rubber body. The two all but vanished, launched back toward where the Sunny was docked.

"Nami-Swan!" Sanji cried before having to duck under a sword.

"Monkey, monkey! Look at how far they went! I hope I didn't kill them; Master Moria would be displeased!"

"You atrocious arachnid!" Brook declared. "Be gone with you! Aubade Right-Hand Strike!"

* * *

 **Usopp and Merry**

 _"Do you wanna join our crew?"_

 _"Horo-horo-horo-horo!" the hollow-woman laughed before her smile twisted and her voice took on a predatory tone. "No, I don't think so, little girl, but you'll be joining me! Negative Hollow!"_

"Oh no," Usopp whimpered, his gaze locked on the ghosts circling their floating opponent.

"So you're the one that made the ghost we saw on the ship!" Merry concluded. "You gotta join us! Mrs. Nami thinks we need more women on the crew, anyway."

"Stop it, Merry!" Usopp ordered. "For one thing, you aren't the captain. Only Luffy can decide who joins the crew."

"Awww," the klabautermann whined.

"And second, we still need to beat her and that freaky teddy bear of her's."

"But, Uncle Usopp..."

"As entertaining as this little act of yours is," Perona scoffed, her two ghosts circling her, "I think it's time we skip ahead to the main attraction. Go, Negative Hollows!"

"Evasive maneuvers!" Merry yelled, her and Usopp diving opposite directions. The ghosts just brushed each of them in the arm, flying into the floor and vanishing from sight.

"That wasn't too hard!" the sniper boasted, leaning Kabuto over his shoulder and pointing at the gawking form of the Ghost Princess. "Your ghosts don't affect us if they can't touch us!"

"I wish I was a barnacle," Merry sobbed. "I should've sunk back at Water 7. I'm good for nothing but being firewood."

"Merry!" Usopp gasped, dropping his weapon in favor of falling to his knees to cradle the ship-girl. "Merry, are you ok? Snap out of it!"

"B-B-But how?" Perona stuttered. "My Negative Hollow hit you! Why are you not affected?"

"What did you do to Merry?!" the pirate demanded, ignoring the woman's question and bringing up his slingshot. "Tell me right now or I swear to Goda that I'll find a way to kill a ghost!"

"I don't understand!" Perona cried. "Why aren't you groveling?!"

"Answer my question!"

"Only if you answer mine!"

"Your attack didn't hit me, Ghost! Now fix Merry!"

"No, Uncle Usopp," Merry panted, grabbing the hem of the sniper's coat to pull herself up. "I'm fine now."

"B-But you should have been down for at least a minute!" Perona gaped. "Just who are you people?!"

"Us?" Merry smirked, her confidence rebounding. "We're the Straw Hat Pirates."

"Kumashi!" Perona all but cried, floating backwards. "Kill the man, but leave the cute girl alive. I'm going to go track down their friends. I know my Hollows work on them."

"Yes, Mistress," the bear rumbled, waddling threateningly toward the duo. Perona turned to fly away.

"Oh no, you don't!" Usopp declared. "Special Attack: Firebird Star!" A bird of flame took wing, soaring toward the free soul of the gothic lolita. Kumashi hit the deck, _bearly_ avoiding the attack that passed through an afronted-looking Perona. She sneered at Usopp, but still retreated.

"Go get her, Uncle Usopp!" the klabautermann shouted, jumping past him with hammer in hand. "I'll take out this overstuffed teddy bear!"

"Are you sure you'll be fine?"

"He's got orders not to kill me." The little girl grinned darkly, her expression changing to fit one that would not be out-of-place on Gin's face. "That means I have the advantage."

Usopp shivered at her tone, but made eye contact with her nonetheless. "...Be careful, Merry," he finally relented. "I... I trust you to stay safe. You've got the best of all of us, right?" Before the long-nosed teen could rethink his decision, he hugged his suroget niece and bolted after the pink-haired ghost.

"Go kick her ass, Uncle!"

"Language!" Usopp rounded a corner, moving out of sight.

"Looks like it's just you and me, big guy," Merry chuckled, sizing up the zombie that stood almost twice her height. Kumashi's eyes narrowed at the little fairy that was waving her wooden hammer at him.

"I must protect Mistress Perona," he growled, his eyes going bloodshot and his body shaking slightly. "I _will_ protect Mistress Perona. _I will!_ " With a roar, the giant teddy bear charged the klabautermann, throwing his whole weight at her in an attempt to crush the white-haired girl. Merry flung herself to the side, narrowly avoiding the bear's surprisingly-large mass which cratered the floor where he landed. Without wasting a second, the bear rose and repeated the action, forcing Merry to keep dodging backwards.

"I thought you weren't supposed to kill me!"

"I will protect Mistress Perona!" Kumashi yelled, flinging himself at Merry for the sixth time. Merry jumped upwards, kicking off of the bear's back and leaving a pillar to take the flying bear hug/tackle. The column crumbled, large chunks of stone and marble falling on the zombie until he was completely buried. The klabautermann landed silently out of a front flip and turned back toward her buried opponent.

Merry took a tentative step forward, never dropping her guard as she approached the pile of debris. The pile shifted before exploding outward. A medium-sized chunk caught Merry in the stomach, causing her to lose her grip on her hammer and blowing her backwards in the process.

"Uh," Merry grunted as she hit the ground, barrel-rolling away her momentum. She sat up carefully, spitting up some blood while a hand unconsciously cradled her midsection.

"That hurt, you bear bastard," the klabautermann growled, her eyes flashing dangerously. Kumashi didn't respond, claws sprouting from his paws as he pushed himself out of the remains of the column. He charged.

"I must get back to Mistress Perona! Mistress Perona needs me!"

"Rigging Art," Merry announced, ropes falling from within her sleeves, "Woven Whips!" The klabautermann lashed out, dual strands of rope flying through the air toward the charging zombie. The bear's claws ripped through one of the whips, the other rope missing high and knocking his hat off before he severed that whip as well.

'He's too fast!' Merry thought as the zombie drew closer. She tried desperately to fend him off, but Kumashi's claws seemed to be more than a match for Merry's mid-range Rigging Art.

"Gordian's Knots!" Merry cried desperately, her two ropes tying themselves together until they formed a wrecking-ball-sized knot. She turned, building momentum before the ball of rope slammed into Kumashi's side. The bear gave something similar to a cough, his claws slicing through the ropes on the outside of the attack. The force flung him to the side. "Yeah! How does that feel!"

Kumashi didn't respond, shaking her head before pushing himself onto his arms and legs. He turned his bloodshot eyes on the horned girl and dug his claws into the floor, a matching pair sprouting from his stubby feet. He pushed off like a sprinter, producing a speed something of his build shouldn't have. The klabautermann tried to bring Gordian's Knot around for another pass, but Kumashi was too fast, his claws ripping apart the ropes connected to the ball before it could gain enough momentum. The woven wrecking ball bounced off into the distance. The bear bore down on the girl, five gleaming claws raised to end the battle.

"Shit!" the girl shouted. Bringing up her right leg in a perfect split she had inherited from Sanji, Merry attempted to kick the paw away as it came down on her, but her aim was off slightly, causing the outer claw to scrape down the side of her pants, tearing a cut in them and scratching her just enough to make her bleed. Injured, Merry used her other leg to jump away, only for something to clatter to the floor. Kumashi almost blinked, bending down to pick up whatever it was his opponent dropped.

Made of wood and not quite anatomically correct, it was a Merry's Heart.

"My Heart!" Merry cried leaning on her left leg. "Give that back!" The klabautermann stretched out her hands, trying to use her powers to pull her lifeline back to her person, but the bear's grip was too firm. Even so, against his will, the zombie began inching toward the white-haired girl with the pull of the wooden heart, his legs digging small grooves in the floor. "Give! That! Back!"

"I will not," Kumashi rumbled. "Mistress Perona-"

"Shut up!" Merry snapped. "Dear Goda, you're so annoying! Everything out of your mouth is 'Mistress Perona this' and 'Mistress Perona that'! Can you not talk about something else?" Leaving her left hand out trying to reclaim her Heart from the zombie, Merry's right turned back toward the pile of broken pillar, summoning her hammer back into her hand.

"I... cannot..." Kumashi grunted, digging his legs into the stonework of the floor. "I live... for Mistress Perona... She wants... you in her garden... I will fulfill her wish!"

"Well too bad, Pedobear," Merry smirked, releasing her hold on her Heart and throwing her hammer. "She's not getting what she wants this time." Kumashi staggered at the sudden loss of opposition, but stayed on his feet until the hammer smacked him in the forehead. Losing his balance, the zombie lost his grip on the klabautermann's Heart, leaving the wooden carving to bounce across the floor.

Merry dashed in before Kumashi could get up, ropes jumping out of her jacket to tie the bear's claws to his legs and rendering him immobile for the time being. She hopped up to kneel on his chest.

"Release me!" the zombie ordered. "I must return to Mistress-"

"Sorry, big guy," Merry smirked, dragging the doctor's mask away from the bear's mouth and gaining a sadistic gleam in her eyes. "You aren't going to get back. Baahahaha!" Before the teddy bear could respond, the horned girl shoved a lump of salt into the zombie's mouth. Kumashi gagged, trying to spit up the lump, but Merry shoved his mask back on, waiting until she could feel the shadow inside him trying to escape. Only then did she release her hold on the teddy bear and allow the shadow to return to its rightful owner. All was still.

"Oh yeah!" Merry yelled, jumping off of the purified zombie and dancing a little victory dance she had learned from Franky (picture the dance he does at the start of the time skip). "That's right! Who's the best? One fight, one victory, one hundred percent success! Woooo!" After celebrating her first win for another minute, Merry calmed down enough to stop patting herself on the back.

"Uncle Usopp!" she realized, summoning both her hammer and her Heart back to her hands. Stuffing her Heart into an undamaged pocket, the klabautermann took off after Usopp and the ghost princess. "Uncle Usopp! Where are you?!"

"No! Please! Get them off! Get them ooooooffffff!"

"You've already fallen into my trap! Usopp Golden Pound!" Merry rounded the corner just in time to see the "10-ton" hammer Usopp was wielding pop right above a panicking Perona's head, the ghost princess stuck to a bed by pink goo and covered in cockroaches. The pink-haired girl passed out from either shock or fear, her eyes rolling into the back of her head and her body slumping.

"Wow, Uncle Usopp!" Merry gasped, catching the long-nosed sniper off guard. "I thought you were saving the fake cockroaches for pranking Amy."

"I decided they had a better use," Usopp boasted. "Turns out her main attack couldn't affect me, so I was her natural enemy! I guess you took care of-" he turned around. "Merry! What happened to you?!" Usopp dropped to his knees and began to fuss over the state of the klabautermann's clothes.

"I'm fine, Uncle Usopp," Merry whined. "That bear was just a little stronger than I was expecting, but I took care of him."

"Still-"

"Come on! With still need to go kick Moria's ass!"

"Language!"

 **Merry VS Kumashi**  
 **Winner: Merry**

* * *

 **Gin and Amy**

"We should come up with a plan before we attack."

"I'll leave that up to you, Ms. Ex-Assassin," Gin smirked. "I think I'll watch these two dance for a while. Maybe you could join me for a song or two?" He winked.

"You flirt!" Amy smiled, smacking the lightning-man in the arm. "You just gave me the perfect plan on how to get close to them. Luckily, I infiltrated a few balls while working for Baroque Works. Now shut up, take my hand, and follow my lead."

Grabbing Gin by the hand, Amy pushed the door open and drug the lightning-man inside. The dancing zombies didn't even look up at the sound, too focused on the music to notice. Carefully, Amy led Gin into a simple waltz, working their way toward the zombie couple in time to the music.

"Alright," she began, pulling Gin against her and ignoring the red that overtook his face as a result. "When I say when, you'll spin out and attack. Go for Pinky's zombie since Grace's mood paint can't affect you."

Gin nodded, attempting to keep the pair of undead in his peripheral vision as they spun closer. Neither of the pirates noticed when the horned zombie stiffened ever-so-slightly

"Now," Amy hissed, spinning Gin out toward the brown-haired zombie's back. The Electric Devil's tonfa appeared in a well-practiced motion aimed for the back of the zombie's head, but the target was ready. Coby's zombie spun himself and his partner 180 degrees and bent backwards slightly, allowing Gin's weighted tonfa to pass over Iro's (Grace's zombie's) head harmlessly and skid across the elephant horns set into his own forehead. Amy continued the spin, pulling herself and Gin away from the undead duo just as the song ended.

"...Annoying," Iro sighed, releasing her hold on Coby's zombie. "...Too much work."

"We just have to beat them, right?" the male zombie smiled, unsheathing Coby's swords. "I'm sorry to say, Iro, but you might have to work for a little bit."

"...Fine."

"How are we doing this, Amy?" Gin questioned.

"I have a feeling that they'll try to work together, so we should probably do the same," the blonde answered. "If what I think happened happened, then they won't fight any other way. Still, we should at least try to split them up. On the bright side, I know my sister's attacks like the back of my hand."

"Hold on." Coby's zombie held up a finger. He walked over to the phonograph and replaced the record with another. A new, more aggressive song started up as the zombie returned to his position. The pirates stared at him in confusion. "Appropriate battle music," he shrugged. Gin and Amy shrugged in response.

"...Master Moria wants them alive," Iro muttered, pulling Grace's pallet off of her belt. "Colors Trap: Drowsy Dark Blue."

"Not gonna work," Gin taunted, ripping off his headband just before the liquid could hit him. The paint sizzled upon contact, bubbling away into nothing. He blinked a couple times, the effects of the paint that had worked disappearing quickly. Grace really was a genius with chemicals, but it was a good thing she couldn't effect Logias who knew it was coming yet.

"I didn't know about that one," Amy admitted. "This might be a little harder than I thought..."

"...Troublesome," Iro sighed. "Torihon?"

"I've got you, Iro," Coby's zombie responded. "You can take the woman, I'll get the guy. Five Point Style: Meteor Swords!" In a flash, the horned zombie shot forward in a spin, both swords and his horns aimed at a shocked Gin. Bringing his tonfa up, the Logia parried the weapons, but the momentum carried the zombie's body forward until all three horns stabbed into Gin's stomach. He was undamaged, of course, little sparks of electricity flying out of the punctures and a faint charge causing the undead to twitch.

"Crab Grab!" Torihon declared, his swords coming around with the intent of slicing the man's head off with two clean cuts, but Gin's lightning-fast reflexes allowed him to catch each sword with a tonfa. The zombie jumped back, pulling his horns out of the pirate's body. He narrowed his eyes.

"My turn, copycat," Gin taunted, dashing forward. "3,000 Watt Slam!" With his golden-capped tonfa sparking, Gin brought the weapon down on the zombie that contained Coby's shadow, but his target vanished in the blink of an eye. "What the-?"

"Shave," Torihon said from the top of one of the tables, his feet placed so as to avoid the plates of food. "You may be strong, Electric Devil, but you will not be able to defeat me if you cannot hit me."

"Same to you," Gin responded. "I didn't know Coby learned that Shave thing from the CP9 guys we beat, I'm guessing from Kaku, but I do know he doesn't have that black Haki stuff What'sHisName did. You can't touch me."

"I do not know who this Coby is, but that is unimportant. It seems this fight will become a battle of attrition, of which I am superior. Pandora's Box!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the ballroom...

"I really don't want to have to do this," Amy sighed. "Every time I fight you, I always get paint on my clothes." Iro did not respond, the zombie's eyes never blinking. It seemed this fight's dialogue would be mostly one-sided. "You know, if you just ate this salt, then you would never have to work ever again."

"...I am aware," Iro answered. "But then Torihon would be sad and we couldn't dance anymore. Colors Trap: Sadness Blue."

Paint flew through the air toward Amy, the woman responding by reducing her mass and jumping over the attack with a graceful flip. She landed gently and without a sound, only the crashing the the mens' fight breaking the silence between woman and zombie. Torihon flashed between them, appearing and disappearing within the span of a blink. Gin's tonfa crushed the floor where he'd been standing only half a second before.

"Get back here, you undead bastard!" Gin yelled.

"Such foul language!" Torihon scoffed, the two vanishing as quickly as they appeared.

"...Men," Iro sighed.

"I know, right?" Amy responded. "I didn't know Pinky was that fast, but he sure fits the guy mentality." She shrugged. "Oh well. Parasol Club!"

Amy launched herself forward, transferring her mass into her arms and parasol while the rest of her body became lighter for speed. Bringing her umbrella around like she was swinging a baseball bat, Amy attempted to strike. Iro ducked under the bat faster than Amy had ever seen Grace move, the breeze caused by the attack making the zombie's multicolored hair blow around.

"Colors Trap: Laughing Yellow."

"Kyahahaha!" Amy burst into a fit of laughter, almost doubling over. "Kyahahaha! You don't seem to realize- Kyahaha!- or remember, that I can fight- kyaha!- while laughing! Master Fist!" Still laughing, Amy brought her right hand down on the zombie with the same mass as Franky. The zombie jumped out of the way, the floor beneath cracking and crumbling. "Kyahahaha!"

Iro frowned, covering her paintbrush in another color. He rushed forward in short bursts, the natural speed of the body and her orders countering her shadow's lazy nature. Amy pulled back, her parasol sweeping around in an attempt to ward away the undead, but Iro's body's natural flexibility allowed her to bend around the unconventional weapon and paint over the previous mark.

"Colors Trap: Yellow and Green. Befriending Yellowish-Green."

"Oh, Honey," Amy sighed in a wistful tone, a weighted foot stomping on one of Iro's. The zombie could not feel pain, but she still felt the bones in the foot break under the force. "You don't get it, do you? Your positive paints can't effect me because I already love you. You hold the shadow of my little sister and that's why I have to beat you." Grabbing both sides of the undead's head, Amy twisted it 90 degrees with an audible snap. Iro stumbled backward, greatly disoriented from the sudden change of perspective. "Now just let me kill you so my sister can walk in the light again."

The Weightless Woman brought her mass-increased parasol down, fully expecting to crush the undead girl before her, but Torihon Shaved before her in an instant, his cross block catching the umbrella cold.

"Back off," he growled, his cold eyes staring into Amy's. "You will not touch her. I won't let you."

"Geeze," Amy whined as Gin flashed next to her, pulling her umbrella away from the swords. "Pinky finally grows a spine to stand up to me, and it's not even his spine I'm going to be snapping."

"You wouldn't have snapped his spine," Gin scoffed. "You'd congratulate him on finally passing your test. Besides, could you image what Don Luffy and Zoro would do to you if you actually snapped his spine? Sanji could only defend against one of them at a time."

"A girl can dream," Amy sighed. "Anyway, while Pinky's possessiveness is nice, it's standing in our way at the moment."

"Iro!" Torihon fretted, checking over his fellow zombie. "Iro, are you alright?" The female of the two scowled, grabbing her head and twisting it back into place.

"She broke one of my feet," the colorful undead murmured. "I can fight, but I'll need Doctor Hogback to replace it."

Torihon glared at the pirates. "You hurt her," he growled.

"Isn't that the point of a fight?" Gin questioned, stepping in front of Amy. Rather than answer, Torihon blurred out of focus and, suddenly, everything in Gin's vision went sideways.

"...?" The man tried to speak, but no sound would come out of his mouth. It was like his lungs had just disappeared. Amy gasped.

"Gin!" she cried, the headless, shadowless body of the man still as a board beside her. The zombie swordsman blurred back into focus behind them, his swords slowly sliding back into their sheaths. With a click, the swords locked into place and the Electric Devil's body broke into parts, piling on the ground in a mutilated but bloodless heap.

"My first swing was too sloppy," Torihon muttered to himself. "The head separated before the rest of his body. Hayate-Sensei would be displeased." He glanced back as Gin's body and head began to glow, breaking down into flickers of electricity that grouped back together. The glow faded to reveal an undamaged Gin kneeling on the floor.

"For one thing, OW!" he yelled, standing up and twisting his head to the side with a satisfying pop. "For another thing, I'm really happy for Logia powers right now." He turned back toward the zombie that had cut him to pieces, a somewhat-arrogant smirk on his face. "You wanna try that again, copycat?"

Torihon growled, but the noise he made wasn't near anything the real Coby could make since this body didn't have a dinosaur's voice box, only for the noise to end suddenly. "Our work here is done."

"What?" Gin questioned. "This fight isn't over!"

"Colors Trap: Bullfight Red."

"Wha- Dammit!" Gin spun around to come face-to-face with a smirking Iro. A quick glance to the side confirmed that Amy had been subdued, both dark blue and light blue paint staining her yellow dress. Grace's zombie had struck while they were distracted, leaving Amy and tired and depressed mess. "Why you! 3,000-Watt Slam!"

Gin tonfa were spinning instantly, the gold-capped ball on the end on course for the unflinching undead. Without warning, his arm twisted, smashing the floor on his right. Despite the fact that there was now a break in the center of the pattern on the floor, Gin still could not attack anywhere else.

"As I said," Torihon scoffed. "Our work here is done. I'll get the woman, Iro. She still has her shadow. We'll leave the man in the shade here." Gin could do nothing as the horned zombie lifted his partner like she was a sack of potatoes, the zombie's partner joining him as they started walking out the door.

No! It wouldn't end like this! Gin closed his eyes, trying to find a way to rid himself of that paint. Idly, his tonfa started spinning, drawing the electricity out of his body as they started sparking like a pair of generators. He exploded.

Or, to be more accurate, he lightning-traveled. Unlike his increased movement speed that he'd been using to keep up with the zombie where he'd been changing parts of his body into electricity to supercharge his limbs, this was a complete transformation. The sudden release of his corporal body in favor of pure lightning instantly evaporated the red paint on his back. He reappeared in the doorway of the room, his weapons already moving.

"What?!" Torihon cried, caught off guard. The sparking, golden balls on the ends of Gin's tonfa crashed into his face, destroying the rhinoceros horn implanted there, and Iro's chest, flinging her back the way they'd come from. Torihon dropped Amy and staggered backwards while Iro hit the far wall with a crunch.

"Amy," Gin muttered, shaking the sleeping woman. He ran a hand over the designs upon her back, burning holes through both the paint and some parts of her dress. She woke with a gasp, a weighted fist rocketing out on instinct to punch a corporal Gin into the hallway where he exploded again before reappearing in front of her.

"Again, OW!"

"Sorry."

"Y-You blasted pirates!" Torihon yelled, Iro's broken and all-but-dead body in his arms. "I'll send you all to Hell!"

"I'll deal with him," Amy insisted. "You purify Grace's zombie." Amy charged into the room, clashing with the horned undead in the middle, inconceivably-dense parasol meeting twin swords. He was only there for one clash, vanishing in a Shave to battle Gin as he tried to get around.

The Logia was already spinning when the zombie appeared, his weapons blasting the undead back toward the center of the room. Torihon landed on his feet, but jumped back only a second later before Amy's falling body could crush him, cratering the floor.

"I'm your opponent, boy," Amy stated, floating to her feet and raising her umbrella so it crossed her body diagonally.

"So be it," the horned zombie growled, heafting Coby's weapons. "I'll deal with you quickly. Meteor Swords!"

"Dense Shield!" Torihon's swords and horn clashed with Amy's open umbrella, the weapons scraping against the shield with a screech. Amy spun her umbrella, the friction between it and the zombie causing Torihon to lose his balance and stumble. Taking the opportunity presented to her, the Weightless Woman closed her parasol and swung it like a baseball bat, the unconventional weapon throwing the undead into a wall. Torihon growled as he pulled himself from the rubble, scrapes from the impact littering his body.

"I-I'll get you!" he cried. "I'll kill you! Shave!"

"Dense Shield!" Amy's umbrella opened just in time, the speeding undead crashing into it with tremendous force. The woman skidded backwards, her shoes digging grooves into the floor, and stared in shock at her shield.

While both of the zombie's remaining horns had broken off from the impact, the ends of the swords had punctured the umbrella. Moving quickly, Amy pushed forward and down, pinning the undead between her weapon of choice and the floor. Torihon's head and neck poked out from underneath the yellow parasol before her.

"Release me!" he demanded.

"I don't think so," the pirate woman responded, one foot coming to rest on the neck of her victim while the other secured his body under her umbrella. "Crescendo Stone: Slow Guillotine. 50 Kilos... 75 Kilos... 100 Kilos... 125 Kilos..."

"W-What are you doing?" Torihon coughed. He tried to pull his swords free from the umbrella, but his angle only caused them to tear it just a little more.

"150 Kilos... 175 Kilos... 200 Ki-"

POP

With a sickening pop and a splat, the head of the zombie broke away from the crushed neck, rolling across the floor with a shocked expression and long-dead blood leaking from the base. Kneeling down, Amy stuffed a handful us salt into the remains of the body's neck, freeing the wiggling, black mass there. It and another pool of shadow met on the ceiling, seeming to dance around each other before both flew out the doorway.

"Damn, that's brutal," Gin commented, observing the carnage. "Does this mean you won't kill Coby when and if we learn that he and Grace are together?"

"I suppose," Amy huffed, climbing off of her upside-down umbrella to allow Gin to collect Coby's Sabaku no Kiba blades from the corpse. She tsked at the holes, but knew there was nothing she could do about them at the moment. "Did you get Grace's pallet and paints?"

"Of course," the man responded. "What do you take me for? An idiot?"

"Well..."

"Oh shut up."

 **Gin and Amy VS Torihon and Iro**  
 **Winners: Gin and Amy**

 **End of Chapter 97**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	100. Pirates Vs Zombies (Part 2)

**Chapter 98:**  
 **Pirates vs. Zombies (part 2)**

 **Recap:**  
 **Earlier fights:**  
 **Merry purified Kumashi, scoring her first win with the showing of her rope-based style Rigging Art, while Usopp pulled off his Canon defeat of Perona.**  
 **Gin and Amy found Torihon and Iro, the zombies with Coby and Grace's shadows, allowing Amy to finally admit that Coby was worthy of Grace if he could just say something. Gin, in a moment of desperation, learned how to convert his entire body into electricity.**

* * *

 **Zoro and Robin**

 _"HELL NO!" Zoro and Lola yelled in tandem while Robin looked shocked. "YOU ARE NOT MARRYING ROBIN/THAT WOMAN!"_

 _"I will!" Absalom declared with a smirk. "That is, if you don't defeat them, Lola."_

 _"...RAAAAAAGHHHHH!"_

With all the rage of a woman scorned, the warthog-zombie charged at the pair of the pirates, her target the black-haired woman. Lola appeared before Robin with more speed than anything her size had any right to have, both of her swords raised to cut the woman down the middle. Zoro materialized between them, all three of his own swords raised to defend.

The five blades clashed with a shockwave, the unreal force of the marriage-obsessed, undead warthog/woman attempting to overpower the strength of the green-haired, three-sword-wielding pirate swordsman.

"Stay away from _my_ Master Ab!" Lola ordered, shoving her blades downward as hard as she could. Zoro barely moved, holding the undead at bay. "You will not take _my_ Master Ab from me!"

"We aren't trying to," Zoro grunted, pulling his blades apart and causing Lola to stumble. He rushed in, but Lola quickly recovered, blocking both of Zoro's horizontal slashes. The ground behind her was plowed by the resulting force.

"Bride Fu!" Lola yelled, pulling her swords back for another strike. "Dance of the Bridesmaids!" Beginning with a downward slash from her right sword, the zombie moved into a combination of slashes and stabs, each of which Zoro blocked or parried.

"Dragon Twister!" the pirate countered, spinning up a whirlwind that pushed the undead back. With twin yells, Zoro and Lola charged each other.

Only half watching the battle, Robin glanced to either side as Absalom's breathing echoed through the clearing, but only because she knew it was there. Had she not known, Robin didn't believe she would have heard it at all. Spinning to her right, the archeologist materialized two extra hands around her normal one, all three backhanding the invisible face of the pervert. Absalom stumbled backward, the short yet uncut grass depressing beneath his feet.

"Come now, my darling," the clear-man said in what he'd apparently meant to be a smooth, suave voice, his body fading into the visible spectrum. "Your small band of pirates will surely parish before the might of Thriller Bark. Spare yourself and join me!"

"I'll pass," Robin responded. "This 'small band of pirates' fought the world itself for my sake and won. I doubt that they'll lose to only a single Warlord."

"So be it. If I must kidnap you, then I must, but you will join me one way or another. Skating!" Once more, Absalom became invisible, putting Robin on her guard. Absalom growled, the noise everywhere and nowhere at the same time. "Now you will know the fear of facing an opponent who you can't see! Deceased Ha-Oof!"

Whatever attack Absalom was about to use was cut off by a flying Lola tackling his invisible form, but this time not of her own volition. Zoro stepped up to stand beside the woman, eyeing the tangled knot of man and undead.

"Goda dammit, Lola! Stop getting in my way!"

"I'm sorry, Master Ab!"

"Aren't these two just a real comedy act?" Zoro asked, tapping Wado Ichimonji on his shoulder.

"Indeed," Robin giggled. "I think they look cute together."

Lola froze, an audible heartbeat thumping through her very being at Robin's words. In an instant, she was before the pirate woman, but this time holding Robin's hands in her hooves.

"You really think so?" the zombie asked, unshed tears building in her eyes.

"Oh yes," Robin responded. "I've no interest in a man I've just met. You can have him all to yourself."

"Thank you!" Lola sniffed. "All this time and no one's ever encouraged me... Thank you!"

"What are you waiting for?" Zoro chuckled, playing along. "Go get him."

"Of course!" Spinning around, Lola charged at the clear-man and puckered her lips. "Come here, Babycakes!"

"Don't do it, Lola!" the living man warned. "Don't you dare- OH _SHIT_ NO!" Absalom jumped and rolled, barely avoiding the barrage of deadly kisses Lola left in his wake, the zombie's lips leaving imprints in the dirt where the member of the Mysterious Four had been. "Lola, I'm getting damn tired of this! If you don't stop, I'll blow you to Hell before killing these pirates!"

"Master Ab, why would you say such a thing?" Lola cried. "Just marry me already and I'd 'blow you to Hell' anytime you wanted!"

"Did she just...?" Zoro muttered, turning green.

"She did," Robin affirmed, her features schooled.

"I'm tired of this, Lola!" Absalom growled, raising his hands and pointing them at the zombie. Lola slowed to a stop, shocked surprise on her face.

"Master Ab-?"

"Deceased Hands!" Any sound Lola made was lost in the explosion that engulfed the undead, filling the surrounding area in smoke. A breeze blew through the clearing from behind the surprised pirates, blowing away the dust and smoke to reveal a burnt and ash-covered Lola unmoving on the ground.

"What a nuisance," Absalom grunted, strutting over to the downed corpse as he shed his jacket to reveal his scar-covered and mismatched torso, the flesh various colors from where muscles of different origins had been stitched together. Lifting one of Lola's katana once he got there, Absalom turned back toward Zoro and Robin, Lola's sword raised before him. "I'm not much of a swordsman, but I know enough to be effective and a weapon's a weapon. Well? What are you two waiting for?"

"...You're despicable," Zoro muttered. "You seem strong, I'll give you that, but you're going to wish you never met our crew."

"Not to mention," Robin added in a frigid tone, her fingers twitching, "you attempted to marry our captain's wife. If there's one thing we of the Straw Hats defend most, it's our Nakama."

"Yes, I can see how that wouldn't have worked," the clear-man admitted. "Obviously, I should have killed you all before trying to court her while she wallowed in grief."

"Robin," the green-haired man scowled. "Cover me. I'm going to slice this guy to pieces." Bending low, Zoro took off toward their opponent, forgoing the use of his bandana because there was no way in Hell he was going to show respect to a bastard like Absalom.

"Once Fleur: Hold."

Absalom grunted in surprise as eleven arms bloomed into existence around his body, ten of them pinning his arms to his sides and the last clamping his mussel shut. He growled, his legs tensing as the true swordsman got closer. Just as Zoro was swinging his swords with a cry of "Demon Slash!", Absalom jumped. The muscles in his legs, stolen from some poor member of the Long-Leg Tribe who had wandered onto Thriller Bark about a year and a half ago, pushed the clear-man up and over the pirate's swords. Though he couldn't talk, he flexed his arms to activate the invisible guns there.

The mini cannonballs almost caught Zoro, the pirate barely twisting his head in time for Wado Ichimonji to cut through the projectiles which exploded, hiding him in a cloud of smoke just as Absalom landed.

"And Snap!" Robin ordered, clinching her hands into fists as the arms she had on the cat-man bent him backwards. Absalom's feet stayed planted on the ground and his hat was knocked off as the roots of his hair touched dirt, but there was no cracking like the archeologist had expected.

"Foolish girl!" Absalom barked, trying to bite the hand around his mouth. Robin grunted as her hand dissipated, two puncture wounds appearing on her right hand. "I've been remade with only the best parts of all the enemies I've killed over the years! You won't break me with a pathetic yoga twist!"

"Then I'll dissect you!" Zoro declared, rushing out of the smoke cloud. "Brave Claws of the Demon Cow!" Jumping into half of a spinning back flip, Absalom just avoided Zoro's slashes, his own stolen sword coming around on route to the pirate's face despite the hilt still being pressed into his side. Robin pulled with a grunt, moving the man's arm and redirecting the sword so that it only scratched Zoro's cheek.

"Skating!" the mismatched man called, light bending around him as he faded out of view. "Good luck hitting something you can't see!"

Zoro and Robin froze, glanced around as if that would help them find the invisible pervert. Closing his eyes, the swordsman slowed his breathing and listened to his surroundings.

The leaves on the trees rustled in the wind.  
The water bubbled in the stream.  
The grass rippled underfoot.  
Lola's sword, the one on the ground, cried at the absence of its twin.  
Its twin screamed as it passed _through the air right in front of him_.

Kitetsu III and Shusui came up with no time to spare, the clang of metal-on-metal resounding through the clearing. Shocked, the clear-man became visible, Robin's arms still pinning his own and his stolen sword straining against both of Zoro's hand-held blades.

"How?"

"You aren't a swordsman," Zoro answered with a smirk. "You don't know the language of blades. A true swordsman an cut everything," -Zoro twisted to the left, his dual swords sweeping toward his opponent's side where they cut into him and lodged there, Robin's arms unharmed,- "and nothing at the same time."

Growling, Absalom strained against the arms holding him, throwing them off and breaking Robin's concentration. Grabbing Kitetsu and Shusui's blades with his right hand, Absalom ripped them out of his side and wrenched them from Zoro's grip, disregarding the bleeding of his fingers. Pulled off balance, Zoro stumbled into the powerful kick to his chin that launched him backwards. The Straw Hat First Mate coughed blood from his landing over a dozen feet away.

"Damn," Zoro coughed. "I need to stop losing my swords."

"You can have this!" Absalom yelled, throwing Lola's stolen sword first. The blade rushed toward Robin, surprising her since he'd been targeting Zoro. The swordsman moved to intercept, but this proved to be unnecessary when Robin grew two arms, one on the other, which caught the blade by the handle and redirected its momentum into the ground.

"Grrr," the cat-man growled, throwing Zoro's swords off to the side. "Why do you pirates have to be so damn stubborn?"

"You're not a symbol of agreement, either," Zoro bit out.

"Oh yeah, well-!" Absalom's words died in his throat, giving way to a pathetic squeak. The leg Robin had materialized only inches behind the man dispersed from where it had forcefully extended itself, leaving room for the man's own legs to come together in an attempt to not allow any more harm come to his abused area. The pervert fell to his knees before crumbling over on his side, his hands moving down to offer another layer of too-late protection.

"As I thought," Robin said without a hint of remorse.

"What did you do?" Zoro balked, staring at the crying mess that had been their enemy.

"He said he had been remade with only the best parts of his opponents," Robin offered. "I assumed he would consider sensitivity to be a positive trait for certain areas and would have had said areas 'fixed'. I was right."

"So basically," the swordsman blinked, "you kicked him in the junk on the off chance that he would be more sensitive than the average person?"

"Yes."

"...So," Zoro coughed, edging away from the woman to retrieve his swords. "Are we going to kill him?"

"He's a terrible, rotten pig," Robin growled, her tone of voice adding a shiver to Absalom's pained trembling, "but at this point it would be against Captain's rules. This isn't a fight anymore, even if he threatened to kill us all."

"In that case," trudging over to the wounded Cronenburg of animal and man, Zoro slammed his boot into Absalom's muzzle, breaking it with a crunch and sending the pained man into the sweet release of unconsciousness. Broken teeth and blood pooled around the face of the man, but he kept breathing.

"Was that not against your morals, Mr. Swordsman?" Robin asked, walking up to stand beside the first mate.

"With a man like that? No." He sighed. "Damn, I wish Luffy was fine with murder." He paused, catching Robin's eyes. "What are you thinking?"

"Oh, just that we showed this bastard a crippling weakness of his." Her voice was flat with a hint of faux sincerity. "Why don't we help him now by _removing_ said weakness?"

Absalom's broken and unconscious form whimpered.

 **Zoro and Robin vs. Absalom and Lola**  
 **Winners: Zoro and Robin**

* * *

 **Franky and Chopper**

 _"Coo!" the zombie cooed, lunging forward. In response, Franky grabbed Chopper and rolled to the side, leaving the floor to take the high-velocity tonfa. The fight had begun._

"Coo," the bird-zombie growled, its eyes narrowing at the cyborg and reindeer as it rose unsteadily. Franky and Chopper each took an involuntary step back from the menacing avian glare, an aura unlike anything they had ever felt before permeating the air around them.

"W-What is this?" Franky shivered. "I thought that thing had Devil-Bro's shadow!"

"Merry said it does!" Chopper responded. "But I've never felt anything like this from Gin!"

"Cookukuku," the zombie chuckled darkly, somehow laughing with a pigeon's voice box. The zombie's eyes widened, gleaming madly as the faintest wisp of a grin appeared from the beak. "Cooookukuku!"

"T-There's no way that's Devil-Bro's shadow."

"Coo!" The zombie lunged, its tonfa swinging madly to try to behead its pirate adversaries.

"Star Shield!" Franky moved instantly, throwing his metal arms out to either side so the zombie's weapons hit his forearms with a clang. Idly, Franky was glad he had lost all of the nerve endings in his arms when he had been forced to rebuild himself because if he hadn't, that hit would've hurt like a bitch.

"Heavy Gong!" Chopper's Heavy Point grew out from under Franky, a large fist already on course to impact the face of the zombie. There was a crunch as Gin's zombie was thrown backwards, chips of its beak breaking off as small cracks crisscrossed over it. The undead, however, didn't seem to care. If anything, it seemed to like the damage.

The beak of the pigeon-man opened in what was most definitely a smirk, a set of straight, white teeth gleaming in the moonlight. Its eyes gave off a clear message.

 _"More."_

The undead threw itself upward, stumbling a few steps forward before almost blurring out of sight in a mad, unsteady dash toward Franky and Chopper.

"Reindeer-Bro," Franky said, raising his fists into a boxing stance, "you can find its weak spot or something, right? I'll hold it off long enough. Strong Right!" Franky's right arm shot forward, disconnecting from his arm save for a chain of metal to speed toward the zombie. The pigeon-man didn't so much as slow, one tonfa coming up to bat the oncoming fist to the side. Franky smirked, his other arm coming up and separating at the wrist.

"Weapons Left!" An explosive shot from the hole, catching the zombie in the gut and blasting it back the way it had come where it smashed into the wall. The thing's right arm was bent the wrong way at the elbow.

"That's not it," Chopper muttered. "The joints aren't the weak spot."

"Cookukuku," the undead giggled, grabbing its right arm and twisting it back into place with a sickening crack. The thing rose again, wobbling to and fro as it giggled madly. Suddenly, it stopped, frozen in place with neither finger or feather so much as twitching. That was, until it started shaking uncontrollably, every single feather on its upper body standing on end and a strange glow forcing its way out of the cracks in its beak.

"That doesn't look good!" Franky yelled as the bird-zombie opened its mouth, revealing more of the light. The cyborg grabbed Chopper and dove to the side just it time.

They managed to _just_ avoid the laser Gin's zombie fired from its mouth, said laser incinerating a clean hole through the wall behind where they'd just been. And the wall behind it.

"What the Hell was that?!" Franky demanded, releasing Chopper. Franky's hair style was a mess, each hair sticking out as if he were some stereotypical mad scientist. As bad as the cyborg looked, Chopper was worse off, every bit of fur on him puffed out as if he were in a miniature Guard Point.

"Static electricity," Chopper noted aloud, trying to flatten his fur and eyeing their enemy as it stumbled around as if disoriented. "It must be a side effect of Gin being a Logia. The body can't control lightning, but the shadow can. But that doesn't make any sense. Gin doesn't fight like that!"

"We'll just have to ask him when we see him, Bro," Franky stated. "We've gotta beat this bird brain first."

"R-Right," Chopper stuttered, stepping behind the large cyborg. "Scope."

"Hey, pigeon!" the cyborg yelled, getting the undead to turn toward him. "Let's see how you handle this! Fresh Fire!" A ball of flame blasted from Franky's mouth, hurtling through the air toward Gin's zombie. The undead instinctively brought its arms up to block, dispersing most of the flames, but the act had the adverse effect of catching both of the undead pigeon-man zombie's tonfa on fire.

"Coo?" the pigeon seemed to question, shaking its arms. The fire slowly dwindled as the bandages around its hands and wrists burned away, leaving the tonfa to sustain the flames.

"Reindeer-Bro!" Franky called. "Please tell me you've got something, 'cause I'm oh-for-two with the fire!"

"I've got it!"

"Thank Goda!"

"Coo!" The zombie charged in, both of its flaming tonfa up for an overhead strike. Franky reacted quickly, his right hand coming up in an attempt to stuff out the flaming weapons. Unfortunately for him, his fire was too strong to go out when it had a ready source of nutrients. The flesh-like covering of his hand began bubbling, melting away into a puddle of goo and leaving his metal hand exposed. The zombie cocked its bird head to the side, staring at both the metal and the puddle questioningly.

"Go for the stitches!" Chopper yelled. "Right where the feathers start!"

"Weapons Left!" Franky shouted, a miniature explosion appearing between the cyborg and the zombie. The undead coughed blood, its chest caving as it was blasted backwards and its tonfa ripped from its hands. Once again, the zombie crashed into the wall.

"The strength and cellular structure of the human body and bird head are different," Chopper explained, trotting up to stand beside the cyborg in his Walk Point. "The stitches are where the different muscles touch, but it's probably where the spines are fused together that is the real weak point."

"Coo," the bird growled, its aura of darkness seeming to pulse outward. Chopper and Franky shivered unconsciously, but did not back down.

"I say we break this thing in half," Franky suggested. "Get the salt ready." Chopper nodded as the cyborg charged forward, his right arm cocked. "Strong Hammer!" Again, Franky's forearm disconnected, launching toward the zombie. Said zombie brought its arms up in a cross block, halting the attack, but not without the sound of groaning bone and a couple cracks. The shipwright smirked, grabbing his chain and spinning around. The zombie stood, but that was all the time it had before the iron fist returned, smashing into its side. "Strong Hitter!"

The undead bird-man spit up red as it flew through the air, only for it to twist itself to land on its feet. Its movements were labored now, the body moving slightly out-of-sync with the head.

"This is our chance, Franky!" Chopper yelled, rushing by in his Walk Point. The zombie tried to react as Chopper lowered his head so he was leading with his horns, but its arms didn't seem to want to respond. Flinging itself to the side, the zombie was lucky enough that it only caught one of the points of Chopper's horns in the side, the momentum spinning them in a circle. Bringing up its arms, the zombie prepared to smash the reindeer's head in.

"No you don't," Franky admonished, grabbing the zombie's arms and pulling them back. Opening its beak, the thing tried to fire off another laser.

Chopper acted faster, stuffing a clump of salt into its open maw. The zombie gagged, trying to spit up the lump even as the built-up energy dispersed around it. With a final dark pulse, the shadow forcefully ejected itself from the host to fly off into the night. The broken hallway was still, neither Franky or Chopper moving as the soulless body slumped in the cyborg's grip.

"...So, uh..." Franky began, dropping the body which flopped uselessly. "Are we going to ask Devil-Bro about that feeling or leave it alone?"

"I don't know," the doctor answered, bending down to examine the corpse and losing sight of the cyborg. "For all we know, it may have been a part of either the bird or the person the zombie was made of. What do you think, Franky?"

"..."

"Franky?" Chopper turned back toward where the super pirate had been, but he was not there. Spinning around, the only evidence the reindeer found of his missing friend was a small bit of silk on the floor.

Spider silk...

 **Franky and Chopper vs Gin's zombie, Tesla**  
 **Winners: Franky and Chopper (maybe?)**

 **End of Chapter 98**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	101. The Replacement

**Chapter 99:**  
 **The Replacement**

"One, two, one, two, one, two!" a trio of tiny zombies chanted, working in tandem as they carried a full coffin over their heads. The road connecting the mansion and the docks stretched out before them, looking that much longer due to their small bodies. Their chanting was the only thing any of them could hear...

That was, until the yelling appeared.

"Gum-Gum Balloon!"

There were only a couple of seconds for the undead to react, not nearly enough time with the burdensome coffin to deal with, so they ditched it. The wood shattered under the force of whatever or whoever crashed down on it like a meteor, a huge dust cloud hiding the road.

"Ooowww," a male voice moaned. "That monkey-spider hits hard. Are you ok, Nami?"

"Y-Yeah," a weaker, female voice answered. "Just a couple bruises and splinters. What did we hit?"

"I don't know. It hurt, though." The dust began to clear, revealing the people who were speaking.

The trio of zombies dashed away before they could be seen, hiding behind a tree just within the forest boundary. The ones who had fallen were a male with a straw hat and a female in a torn wedding dress, the former with an arm wrapped around the shoulders of the latter. Wood from the broken coffin littered the ground, its contents thrown to either side. The woman gasped.

"Coby!" Nami cried, crawling over to the rosette who had ended up on the far left of the road. She shook his shoulder, trying to wake him. "Coby! Get up!"

"Grace is here, too!" Luffy realized, bending down on the other side of the road where the painter had ended up. "Grace, can you hear me?"

"They've had their shadows stolen," Nami commented.

"Then what do we do?" the captain asked. "The others woke up after losing their shadows."

"Grace!" Nami shouted, remembering what Amy had said as the crew splintered into groups. "Your art sucks and it will never go anywhere!"

"Shut your face, you bitch!" the girl yelled, bolting upright. "My art will-!"

"Oh good. You're back."

"Wha-?" Grace blinked in confusion, slightly disoriented for a number of reasons, the most recent of which being the sudden movement of sitting up.

"But that won't work for Coby, will it?" Luffy asked. "He doesn't have any obsessions like that."

"Hmm," his wife hummed in response, a gleaming eye falling on Grace. The girl shivered. "I wouldn't be too sure about that, Luffy."

"What do you mean?"

"Watch and learn, Hun," Nami smirked, patting Luffy's cheek. "Hey, Coby! Someone's trying to marry Grace!"

"I will cut you, bastard!"

"Oooh!" Luffy awed, clapping. The noise attracted the attention of the two younger teens, Coby and Grace blinking at the captain and navigator.

"Captain Luffy?" Coby greeted. "Nami? What are you two doing here? And is that a wedding dress?"

"We'll explain later," Nami waved off. "What happened with you two?"

"The ghosts caught us," Coby admitted. "Turns out they were being created by a Devil Fruit user. She took us prisoner trying to get information on Merry and Chopper."

"Are you alright?" Luffy asked as Grace shuffled around him to help Coby to his feet.

"I think so," Coby answered, brushing some soot off himself from the explosions Perona had put them through. He took a couple steps from Grace before twisting into his Dino Mode to carry her. She didn't have Zoan constitution like he did, so he was worried about any lingering damage from the Exploding Hollows.

"Good to hear!" Luffy nodded. "Now we've gotta go kick Moria's ass!"

"But Moria took our weapons," Grace pointed out. "Coby can still fight without his, but I'm practically useless."

"You haven't been without your weapons before, have you?" Coby realized, turning his head to see the red-haired girl sitting on his back. "I'll teach you some hand-to-hand combat after we get out of this mess."

"That sounds like work," the redhead whined.

"I don't care," Coby stated. "You'll need it."

"You can come with me, Grace," Nami decided. "Luffy and Coby can go after Moria; Luffy would go anyway and he might as well have some backup. Grace, you and I can cover them and take care of any lesser zombies that come along. Turns out you can purify the zombies with salt."

"Where's everyone else?" the problem pink-haired dinosaur asked. "Moria said he had six of our shadows, including ours."

"Nah," the captain waved off. "They're all hunting our zombies, so everyone should have their shadows back soon. Now." He turned toward the mansion in the distance. "Let's go kick that gecko's ass!"

* * *

 **Sanji and Brook**

"You undead swordbrain!"

"You living, curly bastard!"

Old cutlass met steel-lined dress shoes from below, the former pushing the latter up. Sanji backflipped with the added momentum, avoiding the following slash that cut through the air where his throat had been. He and Jigoro, Zoro's zombie, had been at it for the past few minutes, the circle around their fight clear of the webbing that covered the rest of the bridge. Tararan, with the help of his faithful spider-mice, had covered most of the battlefield with sticky web, slowing down Brook enough that they could keep track of him. Neither Sanji or Jigoro seemed to care, still glaring daggers at each other.

"You know what, Marimo? I always wanted to kill you. This might not be for real, but it'll help. _A lot_."

"Only if I don't kill you first!" Jigoro rasped in response through his third sword. "108 Caliber Phoenix!" Firing a trio of slashes that condensed into one, the zombie seemed sure of his imminent victory, only for the smirk on his face to turn into a scowl as the chef leapt over his attack, spinning into a mid-air barrel roll.

"Wolf Fang!" the chef yelled, bringing his leg down on the zombie. His foot caught the back of the undead's head, folding him over at the waist and ripping out the weird bird-thing implanted in Jigoro's head.

"Tower Climb!" the zombie rebuffed, straightening too quick for Sanji to react completely. Twin swords shot up while the chef was still in the air, cutting a pair of slashes into the inside of his right leg. Sanji gasped in pain as he landed and jumped to the edge of the ring, favoring his left leg. That wound was probably going to scar.

"You think this little cut is going to stop me?" Sanji growled. "I've gotten worse cuts chopping onions." Ignoring the pain, but still wincing, the cook shot forward. The zombie mirrored him, swords pointed forward.

"Crab Grab!"

"No you don't!" Sanji rolled forward into a handstand, his body twisting around so his right foot was on a collision course with the pair of swords. Boot and swords stopped as they collided, a ripple of pressurized air shooting from the cook's limb to disperse on the zombie.

"What was that?" Jigoro rumbled through his third cutlass.

"Three-Point Carve!" Sanji yelled, pushing off his hands. His left leg swung out, kicking Jigoro in the side of the head. The zombie stumbled as the cook continued his spin, his right leg moving to catch the undead with the heel. Jigoro stood his ground, dropping one sword to grab the cook's leg. Sanji's visible eye widened as the zombie heaved him over his head to slam him into the ground. Sanji groaned in pain, his body in a small crater from the force. Jigoro stood over him with an evil smile, swords raised.

Gaze hardening, Sanji used his flexibility to push himself into a backbend, one foot moving into a roundhouse kick to redirect the swords. The blades dug into the bridge beside Sanji's head, but he ignored that in exchange of focusing on pushing up to kick the zombie in the mouth. Jigoro's jaw popped out of place with a creak. The undead staggered backwards, leaving one sword stabbed in the bridge as the one in his mouth clattering to the floor..

"You certainly aren't as tough as the real one," Sanji huffed. The zombie growled as one hand shoved his jaw back into place.

"I'll show you!" Jigoro growled, scooping up his dropped sword. "72 Caliber Phoenix!" Jumping over the aerial slash, Sanji lashed out with a front kick, Jigoro dodging backwards but still getting pushed by the wind. "How are you doing that, Shit Cook?!"

"Dodging you is easy when you're so slow, Marimo!"

"I'll skin you alive!" the zombie declared. "Dragon Twister!" Wind whipped around the chef, picking him up and flinging him out of the ring. Sanji splashed down on a clump of sticky webbing, a stuck Brook next to him. The skeleton was valiantly trying to keep his afro up and web-free. Jigoro and Tararan approached slowly, the former cutting his way through the webbing covering the ground.

"Well this is quite the conundrum," Brook commented. "They may very well kill us. Ah! But I'm already dead. Yohohoho!"

"No way!" Sanji roared. "I will not lose to that shitty moss-head, much less his pathetic shadow and this stupid giant sp... sp... spider!" Sanji screamed, his voice hitching up an octave.

"Sanji-san? Are you ok?"

"Spiders!" Sanji almost exploded, flames bursting to life around him. Brook gasped (though he did not need to breath), the heat of the fire melting the webbing around the two pirates. Tararan and Jigoro stumbled backwards from the light.

"What is he doing?" the spider-monkey cried.

"Get the Hell away from me, you freak!" the cook screamed, a burning foot plowing into the face of the larger zombie. Tararan screamed as he felt a burn searing itself into his face.

"Get him off! Get him off!"

"I'll get him!" Jigoro called. "108 Caliber... Gah?"

Brook appeared behind him, his sword sliding back into its sheath. "My apologies, but you should not forget your other opponents, Mr. Swordsman. Three Verse Humming... Arrow Notch Slash!" Jigoro folded over, his head and arms separating from the rest of his body.

"My legs!"

"Eat this, shitty spider bastard!" Brook turned around just in time to see a still on-fire Sanji forcing a handful of salt down the throat of a legless and armless Tararan, the zombie's giant eyes wide with fear. Tararan's eyes started rolling into the back of his head, his body beginning to convalse. The flaming cook literally ripped the shadow from within the giant spider and kicked it into the sky before setting the abandoned body on fire. The spider-mice cried out in panic and fled.

"Was that not a little excessive, Mr. Sanji?" Brook asked, eyeing the makeshift bonfire (though he did not have eyes). The skeleton skirted the flames, giving the chef a wide berth, before stuffing a small lump of salt into the throat of the decapitated and disarmed zombie swordsman.

"I hate spiders," Sanji answered, his eyes never leaving the pire before him.

"Fair enough, Mr. Sanji. Fair enough."

 **Sanji and Brook vs. Tararan and Jigoro**  
 **Winners: Sanji and Brook**

* * *

 **Moria**

"Well it's certainly not ideal," Moria sighed, his eyes on the thoroughly bound and gagged cyborg before him. Only Franky's eyes could be seen through all the webbing holding him fast, a particularly large clump of it around his mouth. The cyborg had given the spider-mice a terrible time getting him there after he got over the shock of being abducted, burning no less than twenty of them to ashes with his Fresh Fire and smashing another ten with his metal fists. Something that sounded mysteriously like "let me go, you bastard" worked its way through the gag.

"You weren't my first choice, you know," the Warlord scowled. "I'd have rather had Straw Hat, but he's started exhibiting signs of Observation Haki, so the spider-mice couldn't sneak up on him. You'll have to do since your body is the closest in proportion."

Lifting the cyborg with both hands, Moria hung him on the hook he used for shadow stealing. The chains holding said hook groaned, straining under the weight of Franky's metal body. He wiggled, trying to squirm free, but Moria bitch-slapped him as the spotlight came on. The Warlord's special scissors came out without preamble, snipping the pirate's shadow free from his body. Franky's umbral form struggled valiantly even as his real body froze, but shadows have no mass, so its flailing did nothing to release it from Moria's grasp.

"Kiiishishishi! Forget your former master and your identity! I am your new master and you will bow to me!"

The cyborg's black outline slowed to a stop, nodding silently. Abandoning Franky to hang bound, gagged, and unconscious, Moria turned toward where the giant freezer of Thriller Bark was and began taking slow, deliberate steps toward his final destination.

"It's a shame," he mused. "Poor, poor Hogback worked so hard on Number 900 and he won't be here to see its completion. What do you think?" He glanced at the shadow in his grasp. Shadow Franky didn't move. "Yes, I suppose it doesn't matter in the end. Oh well! Let's go get you a body! Kiiishishishishi!"

Moria seemed to giggle all the way to the freezer, one hand coming up to spin the wheel holding the door fast. Cold metal creaked open, frost cracking and shattering over the protesting hinges. Throwing the door open as soon as he could, Moria shivered at the freezing draft that rolled into the room. He pushed forward.

Ice crunched under each footstep, the light at the end of the tunnel growing bigger with each passing second. Finally, the Warlord stepped into a great, circular vault. The walls of the vault, caked with thick layers of ice, were a dull-grey steel that almost sucked the life out of their surroundings. Lights from the ceiling barely cut through the cold mist that hung in the air, basking everything in a glow so little that it was hard to see. Even so, the monstrous form that took up the majority of the room was impossible to miss.

Number 900 was the zombie of one of the most feared creatures to ever live, the demon and Island-Mover known as Oars. The body stood at a height indeterminate save that it dwarfed even the Warlord standing before it. The skin was naturally red, but large areas of other muscles and canvas stretched over parts of the form, the most prominent being around the stomach, and bits of the skin had turned blue or purple from the cold. Long, blond hair tumbled down the titan's back from its head and two horns, each over twice the height of Moria, curved out from its forehead. The demon's square face pronounced an underbite caused by two giant fangs that shot up in place of the lower canines, almost reaching to its closed eyes.

Moving down, Oars' arms were almost shaped like Franky's in the way that his lower arms were much bigger than his upper, leading to large hands that could hold Moria with plenty of room to spare. A giant gut rested on level with the landing the Warlord stood on, filling that view with red, light blue, and dark blue stitched together. A skirt of dry plants woven together to reach the knees was held up by a belt of skulls, each one taller than any of the Straw Hats. Its giant feet, lost in the darkness below, were bare; all the better to squash insects with.

"Now!" Moria exclaimed to no one but himself and the as-of-yet inanimate corpse. "The pinnacle of my undead army shall rise! Live again, Oars, and obey your master!" Smacking the shadow into the side of the humongous zombie, Moria watched as the skin there rippled and the shadow was absorbed. The room was silent for almost a minute before one of the massive arms shifted and the zombie opened one dark eye.

"How are you feeling, Oars?" Moria questioned.

"I... I feel..."

* * *

 ** _"SUUUUUPEEEER!"_**

Perona gasped as she came to, the Risky Brother squirrel zombies just finishing removing the pink goo that had held her to the bed so that _asshole_ lying sniper could beat her.

"What was that?" she demanded through her panting, her heart beating far faster than it had ever before. The zombie twins glanced at each other before responding.

"Well, Misteress-"

"-Master Moria recently caught another one of the pirates' shadows-"

"So he decided that it was time to revive 900-"

"At least, that what we heard from the spider-mice-"

"You can never really trust those gossiping rats-"

"Wormtails, all of them."

"Yeah, whatever," Perona waved off, pulling herself out of the bed stiffly. "We're leaving. Thriller Bark is doomed with the amount of damage the Straw Hats have caused. Go grab as many zombies as you can find, non-portrait ones, and get them to meet me at the pirates' ship with all the food and money. And by all, I mean every last bit of it! I'm taking it and getting away from here."

"Yes, Mistress!" the rodents squeaked, turning around to scamper off in two different directions.

"Annoying little shits," the woman muttered. "They're cute, but I think I'll throw them in the ocean after I leave. I won't need messengers, after all. Horo-horo-horo-horo!"

 **End of Chapter 99**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	102. Beginning of the End

**Chapter 100:**  
 **The Beginning of the End**

 **Moria**

 _"SUUUUUPPPEEEEERRRRR!"_ Accompanying the shout was the sound of destruction, the giant freezer of Thriller Bark losing one wall to the fists of something far taller than any modern giant could ever hope to be. Striking the signature pose of someone, or something, else, Oars' fists crushed the stone where they met some resistance, such a thing not fazing him in the slightest. Moria cackled from the platform.

"Are you hungry, Oars?" the Warlord asked.

"Nah," the giant waved off, dropping his arms. "I'm really thirsty, though. Do you have any Cola, Master Moria?"

"We have quite a bit," Moria frowned. "Absalom favors that drink, but I'm afraid that that is nothing compared to a being your size. Oars, please look at your arm." Disappointed at the lack of Cola but following his master's orders all the same, the titan glanced at his left arm. On the inside were twelve posters.

"Oh wow," Oars rumbled. "That guy with the blue hair has an awesome hairstyle. How do you say that?" Oars squinted at the poster on the bottom far right. "Curbing Flanky?"

"Cyborg Franky," Moria corrected. "You needn't worry about him. The others, though, I need you to track down and take out. If you do that, I'll give you all the Cola you could ever want after we leave the Florian Triangle."

"You can _super_ count on me, Master Moria!" the humongous zombie declared, turning to the already-broken wall and punching his way out. "I'm coming for you, Straw Hats!"

"Kiishishishi," Moria cackled. "This should be entertaining."

* * *

 **Luffy, Nami, Coby, and Grace**

The moment two black blobs slammed into Coby and Grace, Nami decided it was time they contacted everyone. Grabbing her husband's arm and letting him spring backward from where he tried to keep running, Nami opened the shell over her baby den-den and waited.

BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP...CA-LICK

"Everyone here?"

"This is Robin. Mr. Swordsman is here as well."  
"Amy here. Gin's good, too."  
"It's great to hear your voice, Nami-swan! The shitty skeleton and I are both alive. (Though I am not! Yohohoho!)"  
"Merry here! I kicked ass! (Language, Merry!) Uncle Usopp won, too."  
"Ch-Chopper."

That last one came across as a sad squeak, tears leaking from the snail's eyes.

"What happened, Chopper?" Robin asked quickly. Chopper sniffed.

"We won, but Franky's gone! I think those mouse-spiders got him!"

"Great," Gin moaned. "That means there's another zombie out there for us to kill. Everyone has their shadows back right?"

"I don't," Chopper cried again. "Moria used it to bring back Hogback."

"Damn," Zoro scowled. "Is everyone else good?"

"We've got Coby and Grace's weapons and my shadow is back," Gin announced. "We're on the third floor right now."

"Luffy, Coby, Grace, and I are outside and heading back toward the castle," Nami responded. "Find a window and watch for us."

 _"SUUUUUPPPEEEEERRRRR!"_

"I think we found Big Bro's shadow," Merry commented over Usopp's surprised squeak.

"That does not sound good," Coby muttered.

"It isn't," Brook responded. "I stumbled across it last time I was here. Moria had Hogback working on the body of a monster bigger than any giant I've ever seen. I fear he may have gotten tired of waiting to use it."

"Then it's a good thing we've got our own monsters," Nami shot back. "Two shadows are manageable. Robin? Zoro? Go find Chopper and make sure he can stay in the shade. Gin? Amy? Join us when we get to the castle. We'll go looking for Moria or the monster, whichever we find first. Merry? You can sense the crew, right?"

"Only when they're in my range," the klabautermann answered. "Based on my size, I'd guess maybe a quarter of a league."

"Then you and Usopp should rendezvous with us when we're close," Nami ordered before some crash echoed over the connection. "What was that?"

"Something exploded on the other side of the the building from us," Sanji answered. "I think we found Franky's monster."

"I'M COMING FOR YOU, STRAW HATS!"

"Correction," the cook muttered. "We definitely found Franky's monster."

"Follow it!" Luffy yelled. "We'll fight it together!"

"Or you guys will," Nami cut in. "If it's as big as that shout made it sound, neither Grace or I could do much. We'll try to track down Hogback and get Chopper's shadow back."

"C-Come on, guys," Usopp muttered. "Franky doesn't need his shadow that badly, does he?"

"Speak for yourself, Long-Nose," Amy scolded. "If we were fighting your shadow, we'd be done by now."

"Hey!"

"Enough!" Nami yelled. "We've got our plan! Go!" With that last order given, Nami cut off the connection and the group of four continued their trek toward the mansion. Said trek really wasn't that long, their only obstacle the entire way being the mostly-empty graveyard where Zoro had defeated Ryuma. Pushing past the gate and into the castle courtyard, Luffy, Nami, Coby, and Grace slid to a stop as Amy crashed down from above and Gin flashed into existence.

"Damn it," Amy muttered as Gin passed the youngest members their weapons. "Pinky's zombie put holes in my parasol. I'll have to get that fixed. Hopefully it still works the same way." She gave Coby a stink eye. "I blame you."

"We can deal with your displeasure later," Gin sighed as Coby meekly secured his swords on his back, failing to hide behind Grace no matter what he would claim afterward. "Can we please destroy this Warlord's career first?"

"Thank you!" the Zoan agreed.

"We're here!" The group turned to see a somewhat-ragged and waving Merry being chased by a frantic Usopp. The klabautermann slid to a stop, her chosen uncle faceplanting next to her as the girl snapped into a perfect Marine salute. "Going Merry and Uncle Usopp reporting for duty!"

"Perfect," Nami smirked before she turned to the rest of the assembled pirates. One hand snapped out, grabbing Luffy's face just before he could run off. "Now as you all know, Luffy has a sort of sixth sense when it comes to finding enemies-"

"Let me at 'em! Let me at 'em!"

"-so you all will follow him. Grace and I will try to track down Hogback and get Chopper's shadow back. Understood?" The group nodded. "Good. Let's go!"

"Yosh!" Luffy yelled, leaving a dust trail as Nami released him.

"Damn it, Don!" Gin shouted as the others took off to try to catch up. Nami and Grace stayed, watching them disappear into the dark.

"...Hogback isn't our real priority, is he?"

"Nope. I'm after the money!"

"Of course you are."

* * *

"Chopper!" Zoro shouted, wandering through the winding corridors of the mansion. Robin followed with an amused yet confused smile. She was trying to use her powers to bloom eyes to both look for Chopper and keep track of their progress through the hallways, but she would plant eyes at the next intersection only for the duo to never appear in their line of sight.

"Chopper! Where are you!" Zoro turned left down a stairwell that Robin swore wasn't there before, the swordsman walking along like random stairs were completely normal, which for the Grand Line, they probably were.

"Zoro!" a voice blubbered at the bottom of the stairs. "Robin!" The crew's doctor shot up from the base of the stairwell like a rocket, flinging himself at the archeologist. Robin, having been completely unaware of Chopper's proximity do to Zoro's ever-shifting path, still caught the reindeer in a hug that cradled the weeping Zoan.

"It's all my fault," Chopped cried. "He's gone because of me!"

"Who's gone?" Robin asked gently. "Do you mean Franky?"

"Yes! I looked away to examine Gin's zombie and then he was gone!"

"There there, Chopper," the woman cooed, stroking the weeping deer's head. "It's not your fault. You didn't know they were watching."

"But I should have!" the doctor argued. "They'd gotten me once already!"

"Shut up, Chopper," Zoro growled. "You aren't to blame. For all we know, they could've been targeting Franky from the start and would have taken him anyway. Now snap out of your moping and do something about it!"

Chopper sniffed, one hoof coming up to wipe away the leftover tears in his eyes. "R-Right," he muttered, sounding about as brave as Usopp in an uphill battle. "Th-They took Franky, so we just h-have to go get him back, right?"

"That's correct, Little Doctor," Robin nodded, placing the deer on Zoro's shoulders. Though he frowned at the action, Zoro did not argue. "Come with us, Chopper. Let's go show them the strength of the Straw Hat Pirates."

"Where'd that come from?" Zoro smirked over the last of the reindeer's sniffles.

"What can I say?" Robin shot back, gesturing to her tattoo. "Our captain just has that effect of people. It simply took a little longer to affect me."

"Whatever," the swordsman snorted. "Let's go find that bucket of bolts we call our shipwright and get his shadow back."

* * *

"Let's see," Oars rumbled to himself, rubbing his square jaw in thought as he stared at the wanted posters on his arm. "Master Moria said to ignore the cool guy with the blue hair, so I've got eleven pirates to find, four girls and seven guys. This'll be _super_ easy!"

Stomping across the ground, Oars carefully avoided stepping on any part of the castle. That was, until he came across the broken wall where Chopper and Franky had fought Gin's zombie Tesla. His brow furrowed as he stood in a courtyard outside, staring at the cracks and holes.

"Now what _super_ bastard broke this?" he muttered to himself, bending down to try to fix the building. The bricks were much too small, however, and the gigantic monster was unable to do anything but crush them. "Dammit! I'm _super_ too big for this. Master Moria will be displeased."

"I'm coming for you, Franky!" a voice yelled through the wind, the sound reaching Oars' ears. The monster turned slightly to eye the approaching dust cloud where the voice was coming from.

"Who's Franky?" the zombie asked. "I'm Oars."

The thing making the dust cloud slid to a stop, the dust clearing to reveal a small human with a straw hat. Oars' brow lowered in recognition, his one, large eye focusing on the pirate's hat.

"...I've found you, Straw Hat!" the zombie bellowed. "I'm gonna take you back to Master Moria! Strong Right!" Oars shot his right arm toward the smaller pirate, the arm and fist stopping halfway to him. Though the fist did not hit Luffy, Oars' size allowed a burst of air to be displaced by the attack, blowing the pirate captain off his feet. Luffy tumbled backwards as the undead stared at his arm in confusion, tapping his right forearm his his left hand. "Shouldn't this thing separate?"

"Super-Big Bastard!" Luffy yelled, jumping to his feet. "Take this! Gum-Gum Pistol!" Luffy's arm stretched, shooting forward to hit the giant in the leg. Oars, however, didn't even notice. The giant stood fixated on his arm, trying to find and work robotic parts that weren't there.

"You did this, didn't you, Straw Hat?!" Oars bellowed, turning to glare at the pirate. "You stole my parts!"

"No I didn't!" the pirate yelled back. "You have Franky's shadow!"

"I don't know a Franky!"

"But we do!" Gin shouted, materializing above the giant monster with his tonfa raised and a ball of electricity the size of Luffy's Gum-Gum Balloon stretched between them. "Take this! 50-Million Watt Net!"

With a yell, the Logia user threw his attack at their gargantuan opponent, the ball stretching out into a net to cover the zombie's face. Oars screamed, crying out in shock as the electricity burrowed into his skin and burned his hair. Parts of his blond mane caught fire and one of his horns blackened, but the zombie remained otherwise unharmed.

"Don't touch my hair, bastard!" Oars roared, swatting Gin out of the air like a fly. The pirate plummeted into the mansion, one wall caving over him.

"Gin!" Luffy yelled.

"10,000 Kilogram Guillotine!" Amy announced, falling out of the air and her leg impacting Oars' burned horn. With a snap, the horn proper separated from the base, bouncing off of the zombie's shoulder before crashing into the ground. Oars cried out in pain, stumbling back as he clutched at the stump. Amy floated to the ground, being sure to steer clear of the stumbling zombie.

"Ragh!" Oars bellowed. "My horn! I'll _super_ get you all for that!"

"We'll see about that! Shave! Unseen Disaster!" Coby's swords and horns stabbed into the monster's right heel, but with Oars' size, the attack was more like a bug bite. Picking up his leg, and the pirate with it, Oars made to squish the rosette with an open palm.

"Diable Jambe: Mutton Shot!"

"Aarg!" Oars screamed, fire blasting out from between his fingers. Sanji flipped out and away, the red glow on his leg dying before he touched down, Brook jumping down into the courtyard to join them. Oars gripped his arm, his hand smoking, not noticing Coby detaching himself. "I'm getting real tired of that fire!"

"Too bad!" Usopp yelled. "Special Attack: Firebird Star!" The coward's Phoenix attack soared toward the titan, impacting him right between the eyes. The fire dispersed as Oars cried out.

"Stop it, dammit! Strong Hammer!" With a yell, Oars massive right fist connected with the ground, caving it under his fingers. The pirates on the ground wobbled as the earth under their feet was displaced.

"Ha!" a small voice called, ropes wrapping around the giant's wrist. A white blob traveled up Oars' red arm, sure-footed as a mountain goat. The titan's lone eye narrowed, his left arm came up before launching down toward the white-haired girl.

"Merry!" Usopp screamed.

"No you don't!" Luffy yelled, his pink form appearing before the meteoric palm. "Gum-Gum Jet Gatling!" A cloud of steam burst from the captain's body as his arms seemed to multiply, not only stopping Oars' hand, but pushing it away as well. "Keep going, Merry!"

"Aye, Captain!" Merry continued up the titan's arm, using her ropes to swing her way up whenever she couldn't find any proper footing. The klabautermann landed in a crouch on Oars' right shoulder, the broken horn's base overshadowing her. As if in response, the monster ripped his fist out of the ground, stealing most of the stability the girl had.

"Cut him down!" Coby yelled from the ground behind Oars. "72 Caliber Phoenix!" Twin blasts of pressurized air shot at the legs of the titan, slicing through skin and muscle, but not quite doing enough damage.

"Strong Hammer!" Oars shouted, but instead of punching at the ground, his fist soared into the clouds overhead. "Take that, Ice-For-Brains!"

"What happened?" Amy questioned, staring up at the behemoth that was attacking the sky.

"Lullaby Parry," Brook announced from the monster's left shoulder, his violin held up to his chin. "Yohohoho! I've trapped him in an illusion! Please hurry!"

"Got it!" Merry answered, throwing a rope that wrapped around a lock of Oars' hair. She jumped into the air, pulling the rope back and rocketing toward the titan's face and spinning herself. Building up all the momentum she wanted, the klabautermann extended her leg which had become covered in thorns of wood. "Davy Jones' Peg Leg!"

A recreation of Sanji's Diable Jambe without the fire nailed Oars in the eye, shattering the illusion he was trapped in. The titan roared in pain, shaking his head to and fro. Brook was simply shaken off, but Merry had the unfortunate experience of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Oars' remaining horn smacking her out of the sky. The klabautermann crashed to the ground like a meteor, spitting up a mixture of blood and wood chips upon impact.

"Merry!" the crew yelled, Usopp rushing to the wounded girl. He was outpaced, however, Gin materializing into existence next to Merry's downed form and pulling her out of the battlefield with a crack of thunder. Oars continued to stumble, off balance, as Usopp's shaded eyes turned toward him. "You bastard! I'll knock you down a peg! Special Attack: Oil Spill!" Angered, Usopp fired several dozen pellets of slippery oil in quick succession at Oars' stumbling feet. The oil did as intended, stealing what balance Oars had and causing the Titan to fall.

"Timber!" Amy called, jumping into Luffy's hands as he fired a Gum-Gum Bazooka. The blonde was launched over the falling behemoth before she increased her mass as far as she could. A human woman with a mass of aproxamently 10,347 kilograms crashed into the back of Oars' head, more than doubling his current speed. The titan's face hit the ground with a shockwave, blasting everyone but Amy away from the sight of impact and causing the walls on the edge on the courtyard to crumble. All was still...

"Get up, Oars!" Moria's voice all but sang from above. "We're not done yet! Kiiishishishi!"

 **End of Chapter 100**

* * *

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 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	103. The Crew Reunited

**Chapter 101:**  
 **The Crew Reunited... Sort Of**

"Thunderbolt Tempo!" Lightning flashed from the indoor stormcloud Nami had created, the electricity frying a half-dozen zombies. On the other side, another three undead were becoming nothing more than a puddle of goo via Grace's black acid paint. Both girls panted slightly, having been fighting many of these small-scale battles since they'd separated from the others.

"Where to now?" Grace asked.

"My money senses are tingling," Nami responded with a whisper, the shadows of her enemies floating away. "This way." She bolted down a side corridor perpendicular to the way they had entered, leaving Grace hard-pressed to keep up. The navigator slid to a stop before a large, round, iron door that was pushed halfway open. Two small voices echoed from within.

"This is the last of it," the first of the two said. "I hope Mistress Perona has all of the food stored."

"Of course she will," the second voice scolded. "She was pushing those other zombies hard to ready the Straw Hats' ship before we leave. I'm certain it's ready by now."

"Then let's get going!" Two small squirrel zombies trudged out of the room, a golden pot filled with gold coins held between them, only to freeze as their eyes registered the two women outside the door. Nami stared down at them, a sickly-sweet smile stretched over her face.

"Pardon me," she muttered as her eye twitched, the end of her Clima-Tact crackling. "What was that about our ship?"

* * *

 _"You bastard! I'll knock you down a peg! Special Attack: Oil Spill!" Angered, Usopp fired several dozen pellets of slippery oil at Oars' stumbling feet. The oil did as intended, stealing what balance Oars and causing the Titan to fall._

 _"Timber!" Amy called, jumping into Luffy's hands as he fired a Gum-Gum Bazooka. The blonde was launched over the falling behemoth before she increased her mass as far as she could. A human woman with a mass of aproxamently 10,347 kilograms crashed into the back of Oars' head, more than doubling his current speed. The titan's face hit the ground with a shockwave, blasting everyone but Amy away from the sight of impact and cause the walls on the edge of the courtyard to crumble. All was still..._

 _"Get up, Oars!" Moria's voice all but sang. "We're not done yet! Kiiishishishi!"_

"Master Moria?" Oars asked, looking around frantically. "Where are you?"

"I'm up here, Oars," Moria responded, drawing the downed titan's attention to where he stood on a parapet overlooking the courtyard. "What are you doing on the ground?" the Warlord asked. "Get up!"

"Yes, Master!" Oars quickly reacted, slinging his head to the left and throwing Amy off.

"MORIA!" Luffy yelled, grabbing a slab of rubble and launching it at the Warlord. Oars was quick to intercept, smashing the rock with a giant fist. Luffy was not deterred, however, slinging whatever debris he could get his hands on.

"Strong Right!" Oars countered, punching the debris into useless bits. "Don't touch my master, Straw Hat!" Luffy and Oars charged each other, the titan having all but forgotten about the other pirates. The rubbery pirate jumped up with a burst of steam, reaching the zombie's large gut. Unfortunately, he did not know how to use Moonwalk, but it was a good thing his was immune to most blunt-force trauma.

Oars' fist met Luffy's entire body in a shallow uppercut, intercepting the Jet Rifle the pirate had prepared. The captain spun away from the battle with a string of curses that would have made Garp give him a Fist of Love for the language.

"Luffy!" the present crew cried as their Devil Fruit-using captain vanished into the forest.

"One down, ten to go," Oars mused. "This is a super piece of cake!"

The rest of the Straw Hats in the remains of the courtyard stared up at the behemoth, each one thinking the same thing, a thought voiced by Coby of all people.

"...Shit."

* * *

"Your sense of direction, or lack thereof, is an anomaly of science," Chopper stated as leaves from the nearby trees rustled his fur from where he was riding Zoro's shoulders.

"Shut up, Chopper."

"He's right, though," Robin added. "The only way I could think of to explain it would be Devil Fruit powers, but you can still swim."

"It's not my fault the world moves around me!"

"Zoro, which way is north?"

"The way where the earth rises."

"..."

"Wait a second," Chopper muttered, blinking slowly as he took in the grey stone walls around them. "Weren't we just in the forest?"

"And there are no doors near us," Robin agreed, crossing her arms and using her powers. She closed her eyes for only a few seconds before opening them again. "It appears that we are on the fourth floor of the mansion now. It also appears that Franky is across the bridge to our left."

"That's convenient," Chopper muttered.

"Let's go get him," Zoro sighed, turning right.

* * *

The shipwright of the Straw Hat Pirates started coming to slowly, a dull throb in his chest making him feel like something was missing. He was too groggy to actually identify what was missing, if there was indeed something amiss, but the feeling was still there in his metal chest. Shaking his head slowly to try to clear most of said grogginess, the cyborg took in his surroundings.

He couldn't feel the floor under him, which was a little disconcerting, and there seemed to be something wrapped around most of his body. The memories of that night came to him, helping him identify the stuff as webbing from those mouse-spiders. It also helped reveal that the missing thing was his shadow. Where it was now, he hadn't a clue.

"-ent the opposite direction. I do not understand. Your direction defies all known physics."

"Shut up!"

"Franky!" That last one what Chopper, Franky believed. He'd only been with the crew for a week now, but several of the members, including the doctor, had very distinct voices. The cyborg turned his head as much as he could, only seeing his saviors out of the corner of his eye. Zoro quickly pulled out his newest sword, Shusui cutting through the webbing like warm butter and setting it alight with blue flames. Robin's arms then pulled Franky off the hook and dropped him on the ground. Franky reached up, ripping the webbing out of his mouth.

"Ow! What's up, guys?"

"Nothing good," Zoro answered with a scowl. "Only you and Chopper are missing your shadows, but yours in a giant monster and Chopper's is a crazy quack."

BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP... BUDUP-BUDUP-BUDUP...

"Yes?" Robin answered, opening her snail.

 _"Uh, Robin? Zoro-Sensei?"_ Coby asked over the snail. _"Any chance you two can come to the courtyard?"_ Someone screamed through the snail, but it sounded distant.

"What's wrong?"

 _"We're just having a little trouble with- OH SHIT! USOPP, WATCH THE HANDS, HE'S GOT A POST!"_

 _"STRONG BATTER!"_

 _"I CAN SEE THAT! WHERE'S GIN?!"_

 _"AMY'S LOOKING FOR HIM IN THAT DAMN RUBBLE OVER THERE FROM WHEN OARS USE A_ COUP DE POO _ON HIM! IS MERRY AWAKE, YE- FUCK! AMY!"_

"We're on our way," Zoro grunted before Robin shut the snail. "Now where's the-" The building shook as something slammed into the outside. The stonework cracked and shattered on one side, Amy barreling through the room to dent a large steel door on the other side. Chopper ran to her side while the other three pirates looked through the hole her body had made.

The courtyard and everything surrounding it was a mess, Oars standing in the middle of it and swinging a wooden post the length of his arm like a baseball bat. He'd ripped it from somewhere in the mansion, most likely. Their crew, or those who were still awake and around, scrambled around on the ground like tiny ants as they tried to fight the behemoth. Zoro was able to pick out his student's pink hair as he jumped out of the way when Oars brought the post down. Coby managed to avoid the shock that knocked Usopp over, twisting around in the air to bring his pair of swords down on the weapon. The post split in two places, losing almost a forth of its total length.

"My bat!" Oars yelled while Zoro smirked, a smirk mirrored by his student on the battlefield. "You'll pay for that, Pinky!"

"Don't forget about us, you shitty woman hitter!" a flaming Sanji shouted, kicking Oars' right wrist. "Diable Jambe: Grill Shot!"

"Well done, Sanji-san!" Brook called jumping off Oars' makeshift bat as the giant was forced to let go, the skeleton using his lesser weight to continue running up the side of the zombie. "Aubade Right-Hand Strike!"

Pink jets of light shot out from the dead man's rapier, shooting towards and impacting Oars' face. Oars stumbled back, a hand on his face as he glared at the pirates. Over it all, Moria laughed like a madman.

Zoro, Robin, and Franky glanced at each other, nodded, and jumped through the hole to join the fray.

* * *

"Get away from our ship!" Nami ordered, glaring down at the Ghost Princess and her minions, the zombies loading the Thousand Sunny with food, water, and money for the rosette's escape. Next to the navigator was Grace, holding out the tails of the Risky Brother squirrel zombies, the only things that remained of them after the girl's acid paint.

"Tch," Perona scoffed. "Well, if it isn't two of the _uncute_ pirates. You don't really think you can stop me, do you?" Two hollows popped out of the girl's hands, circling around her. "You're nothing against my Negative Hollows."

"Mistress Perona! Look out!"  
"Where did he come from?"  
"Run!"

Perona turned around to yell at the undead, but her voice died in her throat as she came face-to-thigh of a mountain of a man who could rival Moria in height. He wore mostly black, the only exception to this rule being a white crosshair on his zip-up jacket and a black-on-white polka dot hat with black bear ear decorations. Black gloves covered his hands, one of which held a bible next to his broad chest, and his square face showed no emotion.

"Who the Hell are you?" Perona demanded, showing no fear in the face of this new player even as she backed up.

"Where is Gecko Moria?"

"Hell if I know! Master Moria's somewhere on this Goda-forsaken island, but I don't care where he is. I'm leaving!"

"I see," the man hummed, removing one of his gloves. "If you could take a vacation, where would you go?"

"I don't know why it would matter to you," Perona growled before her voice suddenly became lighter and wistful, "but I would like to go to a dark and gloomy castle surrounded by dead trees!" Her gaze hardened. "But that doesn't matter. Negative Hollow!" Perona launched her ghosts at the man.

Then suddenly, she was gone.

"Mistress Perona!" the zombies cried in worry. The giant man remained as emotionless as ever, slipping his glove back on. "Oh my Goda," one of them whimpered. "Th-That's the Tyrant Kuma! One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea! He... He just killed Mistress Perona!" Kuma looked up slowly, square glasses that reflected light resting on Nami and Grace.

"'Cat Burglar' Monkey D. Nami and 'Mood Painter' Grace Marigold, worth 30 million and 20 million Beris respectively, members of the Straw Hat Pirates. I suppose this means I arrived later than hoped." Then, he wasn't on the dock where Perona had been, but right behind them. The girls gasped and spun around, but the man wasn't facing them or making any aggressive movements. "My current mission does not involve interacting with your crew, thus I am under no obligation to take you in." He started to take a step before pausing. He said one more thing before he vanished.

"Also, Monkey D. Nami, your father-in-law sends his congratulations."

 **End of Chapter 101**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	104. SUPER Cyborgs

**Sorry for the re-upload, but it came to my attention that I mixed up an important name. I called Blackbeard "Edward Teach" rather than "Marshall D. Teach." Edward Teach was the Real World Blackbeard, not the One Piece equivalent. My bad.**

* * *

 **Chapter 102:**

 ** _Super_ Cyborgs and Other Things**

Coby, in his Hybrid Mode, stared up at the massive foot that loomed over him. Despite his Zoan durability and his training with his sadistic teacher, Coby didn't think for a second that he could survive a stomp from Oars. With death looming over him, a sliver of his old personality slipped out.

"I'm sorry," he squeaked. Panicking, Coby shut his eyes, dropped his weapons, crouched down, and waited for the end with his hands over his head. Flashbacks of his life came to the forefront of his mind, when he was still small and defenceless on Alvida's ship. "I don't want the club, Lady Alvida!"

"Tower Climb!"  
"Cien Fleur, Giganto Mano!"  
"Strong Hitter!"

Coby's eyes snapped open at the sound of Oars' angry and pained scream. Looking up, he just caught the tail end of the attacks Zoro and Franky landed on the immobile leg Robin had in a monstrous-sized grip. Two slashes cut up Oars' hamstring while Franky had stabbed each end of the nunchucks into pieces of columns from the rubble to do more damage. Oars jumped back, ripping his leg from the giant hand Robin had bloomed and cradled it while hopping on his free leg.

"So this is my monster, eh?" Franky commented, spinning half of his giant nunchucks over his head. "Time to prove that the original's better. Strong Hitter!" Franky lashed out with his weapon again, catching Oars on his good ankle just as he jumped. The monster tilted, flailing his arms before crashing on his side.

"Z-Zoro-sensei..."

"What the Hell, Shrimp?" Zoro growled, looking at Coby from the corner of his eye. "I thought we got rid of all your cowardice."

"I thought I was going to die," Coby muttered before recalling something Luffy had told him so long ago. When they'd first met, actually.

 _"I'm not afraid to chase my dream. And if I die trying, then I die. That's it, but that's fine. I will become the King of the Pirates or die giving it my all. I'll have no regrets."_

His gaze hardening, Coby grabbed his swords and grew back into his Hybrid Mode.

"Sorry about that. Let's go."

* * *

Nami and Grace panted as they ran through the maze-like corridors of Moria's crumbling mansion. One would think that it would have been easy to find their way to the colossal battle that had seen raging on the way, but the two had gotten lost in the uniform grey stone of the hallways.

"Goda dammit," Nami cursed, her hand pressing against a sharp pain in her side. Grace was out of breath beside her after running more in the last fifteen minutes than she had in the past year. "We need to warn them about Kuma. Where the Hell are they?" Grace didn't respond until she pulled out her pallet and painted both herself and Nami with a purple design.

"Color Trap: Pain-Killer Purple."

"Wow," Nami blinked, suddenly breathing easier. "That's amazing." The girl waved her off.

"We need to hurry and warn Co- I mean, everyone about Kuma." Grace blushed and tried to hide her face with her hat. Nami grinned like the cat that caught the canary.

"Don't think I missed that little slip of yours," she teased. "Now come on. Let's go!" The two started down the corridor pain free, but slowed down by a door at the other end.

"Foosfosfosfos," a voice from a doorway at the end of the hallway laughed. "Master Moria will be so proud of me!" Nami and Grace peaked around the edge of the doorway to see Hogback dancing around his lab table, three tiny zombies watching him with confused expressions.

"Shouldn't you get back to work, Doctor Hogback?" one of the small zombies questioned. Hogback froze, his head turning to stare at the zombie... Before he started dancing with wavy arms.

"I'm not going to do what you say just because you call me a doctor, you jerk!"

"That sounds entirely wrong coming from Hogback," Nami whispered with a scowl. She spun her Clima-Tact, building a layer if clouds by the ceiling. "We don't have time for this. You take the small ones, I'll get Hogback."

"Right." That established, the women rushed into the room, catching the zombies by surprise.

"Color Trap: Acid!"

"Thunderbolt Tempo!"

"Aaaaaggghh!"

* * *

Moria cackled as he watched over the battle beneath him, his rival pirates fading in and out as Oars kept them from fighting at full strength. The Warlord would admit, their teamwork was good, but that wouldn't help the them if one was knocked out as soon as another jumped back in. And with their captain out of the picture, they didn't stand a chance! Sure, they got a few good hits in, but that just proved how useful they would be...

Either as shadows or corpses, both were fine.

"Kiishishishishi-"

"Gecko Moria."

"-GAH!" Moria jumped, whirling around to face the man who had appeared behind him. "Dammit, Kuma! Do you have to do that?!"

"No."

Moria sighed at the simple answer before taking in a breath and leering at his fellow Warlord. "Fine, whatever. Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of the company of the only Warlord that sucks the government's dick?"

"The Gorosei have a message for you," Kuma answered, unfazed by the insult. "The Five Elder Stars wish to inform you that the Straw Hat Pirates are a particularly dangerous group. The Gorosei do not want to have to replace another Warlord due to their actions."

"Are you implying that I will lose to these rats?" the shadow-man demanded, getting in Kuma's passive face and gesturing out the window. "Look at them down there, scurrying for their lives!"

"I did not say you were unfit for the task. Also, I was told to inform you that a new Warlord has been chosen to replace Crocodile."

"Oh?" Moria backed up, standing comfortably now that he was talking to someone on his eye level. "So they finally found a replacement for that arrogant Logia? What's this new guy's name?"

"Marshall D. Teach," Kuma answered, "though he prefers to be called Blackbeard."

"Never heard of him," Moria scoffed.

"He had no bounty previously," Kuma explained, "however, he was able to provide the Gorosei with proof of his ability."

"Do tell."

"He gave them Whitebeard's Second Division Commander, 'Fire Fist' Portgus D. Ace."

* * *

"Godadamn, he's tough," Franky growled, wiping some blood from the corner of his mouth. Looking around what remained of the courtyard, he located his friends as quickly as he could. Amy was still out cold from before he, Zoro, and Robin had joined the battle and was resting in the room where Moria had taken his shadow. Chopper had made sure she was stable before jumping in to help, he was off toward Franky's right near Zoro, Brook, and Usopp, the Sniper protecting a barely-awake Merry. Off to the left, Franky saw Gin, awake now and his arms crackling with electricity, with Robin, Coby, and Sanji. "Guys! I think it's time we use _Battle Formation Number 28_!"

"Aye!" most of the guys and Merry responded. Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, Merry, Chopper, and Gin ran over. Franky jumped, Zoro and Sanji latching onto his legs. Merry flipped up, attaching herself to Franky's head while Gin wrapped himself around the cyborg's back and hooked his arms and legs around Franky's torso. Usopp and Chopper in his Walk Point each docked into Franky's hands.

"Behold!" Franky shouted, striking a powerful pose. "The _Franky Pirate 28_! All systems go?"

"Right arm docked!" Usopp answered.

"Left arm docked!" Chopper confirmed.

"Legs good!" Sanji and Zoro responded.

"Power supply secure!" Gin called.

"Helmet on!" Merry nodded.

"..."

"Robin!" all the assembled pirates minus Sanji and Zoro called. "Where are the wings?!"

"I would rather die than become part of that," the woman answered, turning herself away from the "robot." "You all should be embarrassed and ashamed."

"Robin!" Usopp and Chopper cried, scandalized.

"No, it's fine," Franky shook his head. "This'll _super_ work. Let's go!"

Running forward on Zoro and Sanji, Franky jumped to stab Chopper's horns into Oar's leg. The zombie cried out in imagined pain, swinging down to try to smack the pirates. Franky blocked with Usopp and Chopper, the two grunting as the seven were pushed back. "Franky" jumped again, flipping over the hand and sliding down across the knuckles. As he did so, Gin released enough power to burn Oars' skin and supercharge many of Franky's systems.

"Ow! I'm all fired up!" Franky launched himself and his 'parts' upward, using Coup de Poo periodically to keep their momentum up. The seven pirates reached Oars' face within seconds, Merry's horns smashing the titan's nose.

"Franky-Merry Rocket Headbutt!" Oars staggered back, Franky bringing up Usopp and Chopper to grab onto the undead's hair. "Double Monster Kick!" Swinging down, the cyborg pushed Zoro and Sanji into the zombie's broken nose where the two started delivering their own brand of pain. Sanji, with his leg on fire, began leaving burns along the left half of the behemoth's face while Zoro, Shusui unsheathed, cut a long, diagonal line across Oars' face from left temple to right of the chin.

"Well," Robin mused from the ground. "That worked better than I thought it would."

"I still think I would have been a better right arm than Usopp," Coby grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Yohohoho!" Brook laughed.

"RAAGH!" the zombie yelled, the air pressure blowing the pirates away and apart from one another. They all hit the ground hard, Usopp, Merry, and Franky were knocked out upon impact. Zoro, Sanji, Chopper, and Gin struggled to their feet.

"Why did we have to do such a stupid stunt?" Sanji complained as Chopper set to work checking over their downed comrades. Merry being knocked out from fall damage twice in such a short time could not have been good for her, nonhuman or otherwise. Even as Chopper tried to treat her wounds, Merry's body wavered and evaporated, her essence returning into her Heart and leaving her clothes, rope, and Heart behind.

"Chopper," Zoro grunted before the reindeer could start panicking. "Get them to safety." Chopper nodded, stuffing the klabautermann's clothes and Heart in his bag before throwing Usopp on top of Franky and dragging them away with his Heavy Point. Zoro turned to look at Robin, Brook, and Coby. "Who's out for good?"

"Ms. Valentine and Ms. Ship were both injured too much," Robin answered with a grimace. "Long-Nose and Franky have a chance of recovering, but I doubt it. We still don't know what happened to Captain."

"Dammit," the lightning-man spat out. "If this were the Don's shadow, I could understand losing. At least Oars can't stretch or has Franky's parts."

"Oh Goda, he did not," Coby paled.

"He did," Sanji and Zoro responded.

"Well, it seems we will inevitably meet our doom crushed under the heel of this titan after he learns to stretch or upgrade himself, our souls added to the already-large number of them crying out in pain from the Florian Triangle."

"Robin!"

"What did I-?" Gin began, only to be cut off when Oars fist slammed into him, crushing the Logia between the undead appendage and a broken wall. The problem with that?

Oars was still standing on the other side of the courtyard...

"And now I think we can add Mr. Devil to that list," Robin got out.

The titan's arm snapped into place, said titan looking at the the appendage with some confusion.

"Ow! That's weird. I don't remember being able to stretch."

"Kiiishishishi!" Moria laughed, the blue fabric of Oars' stomach pulling to the sides to reveal the control room within, Moria seated in the lone chair. "That would be because of my assistance, Oars."

"Wow, Master! That's amazing! That's _Suuuuupppeer!"_ Oars struck Franky's iconic pose, jostling the Warlord in his stomach. "Ow! I'm like a robot!"

"Yes, yes," Moria grunted in displeasure, replacing himself on his seat. "Listen up, Oars. As long as I'm here inside you, you will be able to stretch like Straw Hat. I know you aren't use to it, but you'll have to make due."

"Sure!" Oars agreed with all of Franky's exuberance. "I just have to do it until I can get my _super_ parts back! Ow!"

"Dammit," Coby growled. "This just got so much harder."

"Two options," Zoro responded, falling into his usual ready position. "We can try to take him down ourselves or try to stall him and wait for Luffy."

"Lets go for broke and try to take him down," Sanji responded, lighting a cigarette and breathing in a calming breath of smoke. "Might as well."

"As a zombie, Oars doesn't really feel pain," Robin observed. "However, he still receives damage."

"Most of Franky's attacks use his arms and gadgets," Coby added. "Without Franky's upgrades..."

"His arms are the only big problem," Zoro finished.

"Yohohoho! I shall assist you an any way I can!"

"Let's go!" Sanji announced just before thunder rumbled through the air and a bolt of lightning fell from the sky to shake the titan.

"Thunderbolt Tempo!"

"Nami-Swan!" Oars staggered from the sudden rush of electricity in his body, the movement shaking Moria inside him. Standing on the bridge near the edge of the courtyard stood Nami, dressed in some of Perona's clothes instead of the wedding dress, and Grace. The captain's wife stood with a smirk on her face at the results of her surprise attack.

Zoro's smirk mirrored the navigator's. "It looks like we're still getting started."

 **End of Chapter 102**

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 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	105. The Captain Returns

**Chapter 103:**  
 **The Captain's Return**

While Zoro, Brook, and Sanji worked together to distract Oars and Moria, Nami and Grace worked their way down to the courtyard, something that turned out to be for the best when the titan tried to squish them with a stretchy Strong Right.

"Alright," Nami scowled as she and Grace finally reached Robin and Coby, having passed Chopper, Franky, and Usopp on the way. "What's the problem and where the Hell is Luffy?"

"Captain Luffy got shot into the forest somewhere when Moria appeared," Coby answered, "and Gin, Amy, Franky, Merry, and Usopp are out for the count while Chopper's trying to stabilize them. Right now, I think trying to stall Oars until Captain Luffy can get back is our best bet, but Moria is able to make him stretch like Captain Luffy by manipulating Oars' shadow."

"We have decided to try to disable Oars' arms," Robin offered, stepping forward as one of Zoro's flying slashes ripped apart the ground where she had been standing. The woman remained unharmed as well as nonchalant. "That would be the best way to cripple Franky's fighting style. Ah, excuse me a moment." robin crossed her arms. "Mil Fleur: Giganto Mano!"

A giant arm made of one million smaller arms bloomed into existence on the ground, backhanding a punch that Oars sent toward the group of four. Robin panted from the stunt as the arm, having served its purpose, dispersed into flower petals.

"You rats are turning into a real pain in my ass," Moria growled. "Quit screwing around, Oars!"

"I'm sorry, Master! I'll s _uper_ try harder! Strong Right!" Zoro and Sanji jumped out of the way, Oars' fist burying itself in the ground due to the extra power he'd put behind it. "Ow! My fist is stuck!"

"Is that so?" Zoro smirked. "In that case... Demon Raven's Talons!" With a running head start, Zoro all but rolled up Oars' arm, his swords carving deep gashes in groups of three. Oars yelled in anger, ripping is arm out of the ground and backhanding the swordsman. Sanji attempted to take advantage of this, jumping toward the room in the giant's stomach with a burning right leg. Moria scowled, bringing his shadow up to wrap around the chef's leg and smothering the fire there.

Sanji wobbled as the corporeal shadow threw him off, causing the cook to slam into the giant's stomach to the right of the window and lose his cigarette in the process. Moria's doppleman grabbed Sanji before gravity could take hold, dragging him toward Moria so the Warlord could steal his shadow for a second time.

Brook tried to come to his rescue. Using his lighter weight to reach them, the skeleton slashed through the doppleman before thrusting his rapier at the probably-not-fully-human person controlling it, only to find that what he was stabbing was not flesh, but shadow.

"Kiishishishi!" Moria laughed from right next to the skeleton where he held the cook. "You stupid rats! I can switch place with my doppleman at will!" Grabbing both Brook and Sanji in one oversized hand, Moria forwent the use of his scissors and ripped one combined shadow from both of them. Both pirates instantly fainted, Sanji coughing up blood and Brook's skull cracking as the crude means of removing their shadows damaged their bodies. The two now out of the fight and useless to him, Moria tossed them out of Oars' stomach without so much as a glance and shoved their combined shadow in the back of the cockpit.

"108 Caliber Phoenix!" Moria barely had time to duck before a flying slash cut the air where his neck had been, said slash cleaving over a foot into Oars' stomach flesh and the back wall of the cockpit as well as slicing the Doppleman's head off.

"You s _uper_ bastard!" Oars yelled. "Don't cut my parts! Strong Right!"

"One gorilla," Zoro muttered, his right bicep bulging. "Two gorilla. Two Gorilla Slash!" Zoro's swords met Oars' fist, pushing its momentum to the swordsman's left. Zoro panted from the force, but smirked around Wado Ichimonji until a shadow passed over him and another fist came down.

"Strong Left!"

"That isn't one of Franky's attacks!" Coby gasped as his teacher was sent flying, the green-haired man getting buried in a wall from the force of the giant fist.

"He's adapting," Robin realized as Oars turned his attention to them.

"Only four left," the titan rumbled. "Three girls and a guy."

"Cover me!" Nami ordered, whipping out her Clima-tact and releasing Heat and Cool Balls into the air. Robin, Grace, Coby nodded before jumping into action, Coby rushing forward in his Dino Mode with Grace on his back.

"Alright, Coby!" Grace yelled. "Let's go! Colorful Volcano!" The painter jumped as Coby rolled forward, the boy changing into his Hybrid Mode before his feet met Grace's. Both teens extended their legs. The resulting force sent Grace hurtling upward, her hat fluttering away in the wind. Oars snatched the girl out of the air before she could even reach his stomach, intending to crush her like a grape, but did a double take at the grey-green smoke that slowly curled up from his hand. Opening his fist in worry, Oars found a smirking redhead standing in his palm, his fingers and most of the skin around the girl bubbling from some chemical substance.

"What did you-?"

"I'd be careful if I were you," the girl taunted with a wiggle of her finger. "Too much force could easily make your hand fall apart."

"Why you!" Oars roared, swinging his left had down to punch the girl in his hand.

"72 Caliber Phoenix!" Coby yelled, his flying slash, while still not as strong as Zoro's, was still strong enough the push the giant's hand, making Oars punch his own wrist rather than Grace. The redhead stumbled and fell from the hand, Coby catching her in his Hybrid Mode.

"You punks!" the giant growled, punting Coby and Grace as they fell. The Zoan of the two took the brunt of both the kick and the subsequent landing, but the shock was enough to knock both him and girl out of commission.

"Two girls left," Oars muttered, searching for his prey only to find Moria standing amidst the rubble with an unconscious Robin at his feet. "Master!"

"Don't worry, Oars," Moria waved off. "While you were distracted, this one," he nudged the archeologist so she rolled onto her back, "tried to snap my neck." As soon as the Warlord finished speaking, he was launched backward by a guest of wind more powerful than any he had felt before, but he managed to land on his feet. Twisting around toward the origin of the wind, he found several distorted versions of the Straw Hats' navigator.

"You better watch yourself," the six dopplegangers chorused in six-part harmony. "There's a thunderstorm warning for the entire Florian Triangle. Monsters and bastards are advised to move inside to reduce the chance lightning strikes. Thunderbolt Tempo!"

"Master Moria!" Oars wailed, the lightning coming down before he could blink. The space where Moria had been standing was completely empty save for scorched rubble and just a hint of sizzling grass. "You bitch! You've killed Master Moria! I don't care if there are six of you or a hundred! I'll squish you flat! Strong Right!"

The mirages Nami had created split up, each one running in a different direction. Not knowing which one was real, Oars went for the one that looked like Nami's regular appearance. His fist shattered the ground when it made contact, crushing the mirage. Disappointed, Oars pulled his fist back, not realizing that Grace's acid paint was still eating away at his hand.

He targeted the short double next, punching that doppelganger as it tried to climb a piece of sharp debris. The corner stabbed Oars' knuckles as the double faded, leaving only four. The next target on Oars' list was the wide image. The double froze, staring at the fist as the other mirages dissipated.

"I got you now! Strong Right!"

The fist impacted, but it wasn't Nami. The navigator, having fallen back in fear as her illusion failed, stared up at the blue monster before her. The creature was over ten feet tall with spiky black hair. Muscles rippled under the much-too-small red vest it wore and a sword with a six-foot blade rested across its' back. One hand was held up, having stopped Oars' Strong Right cold.

"Don't you dare," the creature growled. The hand squeezing Oars' middle finger tightened, making audible cracks in the bone beneath. "You had the _audacity_ to hurt my crew. I won't let you hurt my wife, too."

"Wait," Nami blinked. "Luffy?! What happened to you?"

"I'll explain later," the captain answered, glaring at the cockpit in Oars' stomach where Moria watched silently. "Just let me kick this bastard's ass real quick."

"Kiiishishishi!" Moria cackled from within Oars' stomach room once more, throwing his hands out. "So what if you're blue now? I've wiped out your crew with nothing but your shipwright's shadow! Imagine the damage I'll do when I replace it with yours, Straw Hat!"

"Not gonna happen," Luffy stated.

"Master! You're alive!"

"Not for long," Luffy muttered ominously, grabbing Oars' middle finger with both of his and pulling. The titan stumbled before Luffy jumped, flipping the undead over his head before throwing him and Moria away from the courtyard and into the remains of the graveyard. "Nami, stay here," he ordered. "Help is on the way." With that, the captain vanished.

Just as Luffy and Oars vanished over the rubble of the broken mansion, a large group of pirates flooded into the destroyed courtyard.

"Hurry up!" a large, pink-haired woman at the front of the group ordered. "Find any survivors while Straw Hat distracts Moria!" The obvious captain of this group stood on the taller end with pink hair down to her back and very large red lips. There was also a sword strapped to her back.

"Damn," one guy muttered, standing next to Zoro's prone form buried in the stone wall. "This guy's seriously roughed up. I'm surprised he's alive."

"There's nothing but bones left of this guy!" another member called over Brook and Sanji.

"This woman doesn't seem harmed, but she's missing her shadow!"

"Two teens over here! They look like they got shot out of a cannon!"

"This dude has a pipe stabbed through him, but there's no blood!"

"We found a raccoon-dog caring for two more!"

"I'M A REINDEER, YOU JERK!"

"What the?" Nami blinked before stomping up into the rosette's face. "Who are you? What the Hell did you do to my husband?!"

"I'm sorry?" the newcomer questioned. "Husband? Who are you?"

"I'm Monkey D. Nami, the wife of that moron you turned into a massive, blue gorilla!" Realisation flashed in the woman's eyes, her large lips parting to show the navigator a smile with a missing tooth.

 _"You're_ his wife?! So he wasn't lying to me!" She shook her head and stretched out a hand. "I'm Lola, the captain of the Rolling Pirates, and your husband is the hope we've been waiting for for nearly two years since Moria took our shadows! We," she gestured to the group pulling the Straw Hats from the rubble, "are the Thriller Bark Survivors Association. As for what happened to Straw Hat, we gave him about one hundred shadows we'd managed to collect over the years, granting him the accumulation of all of their strength."

"You're telling me you stuffed shadows into him?"

"And it's working, too!" a male pirate agreed. A pair popped up from behind Lola, synchronized but very different. One, the one that had spoken, was rail thin with two buck teeth and curly orange hair. The other was on the larger side with a leather mask/helmet pulled down over his eyes and a warhammer strapped to his back. "Do you hear it? That's the sound of-"

"-Our tormentor getting the snot-"

"-Beaten out of him!"

"I don't know why he can hold all those shadows."

"I don't care, either!"

"Go, Straw Hat!" they cheered together.

Nami blinked at how familiar the two seemed, almost like she'd met them before, but that was absurd.

"Come on!" Lola insisted, grabbing Nami's arm and dragging her away. "We don't have much time."

* * *

Moria's head was ringing, and the near-constant abuse Oars' rocking was putting it and his body through wasn't helping matters. He scowled, clutching his face as his momentum swung him down into the bottom frame of the window in Oars' stomach. The Warlord opened his mouth, only for his body to be shoved into the wall as the giant he was inside of was yanked to the side.

Luffy, down on the ground, couldn't care less about the shadow-man's plight. The temporally-blue pirate in question was a little more occupied with keeping his balance while he swung the titanic zombie like a ragdoll from his hold on one of the fingers of the monster's right hand. Soon, the strain was too much for the dead, acid-covered flesh, the finger tearing and ripping at the knuckle before coming apart completely. Oars flew away, crushing several dozen trees in the forest and knocking over a hundred more.

"My finger!" the massive undead cried, staring at the empty spot his right middle finger had occupied. "You bastard!" Oars tried to stand, but Luffy was much faster than the titan could ever hope to be even before adding the speed of one hundred shadows.

"One Sword Style: Valley of Death," Luffy intoned as he unsheathed the giant sword the TBSA had given him with the shadows, not knowing where the attack name came from. He blurred out of focus as a massive gash opened on the fallen zombie's foot, cutting off two toes. More gashes appeared, working their way up the giant's body even as he tried to get on his feet; a cut opened just between the hip and Oars' right leg, half of the curtains floated to the floor, a long stitch in the giant's chest split down the middle. Finally, the all-but-invisible blur that was the pirate captain appeared on the gargantuan zombie's collarbone, his sword already slicing through the undead's neck.

Oars reached up with his right arm, trying to crush the blue pirate with the sword, only to realize that his hand had stopped halfway there. Slowly, ever so slowly, the zombie's larger forearm and elbow separated from his thinner upper arm. The now-useless appendage fell to the ground with an almighty crash.

"Oars!" Moria stood on the sideline, having swapped places with his doppleman at the earliest possible time he could, utterly perplexed and angry. His greatest weapon, the thing he had been creating for the purpose of facing down a _Yonko,_ now laid before him defeated, felled by a rookie! Said rookie stood atop the beast he'd all but slain, his cold eyes turning to stare at the Warlord himself.

Moria felt no fear, not an ounce of it. No, the only emotion his trembling form radiated was pure anger. Complete and utter rage at this stupid, straw-hat-wearing _buffoon_ that now stood on and over his greatest pawn. It never occurred to the angered shadow-man that the reason Luffy was able to defeat Oars so quickly was due to, in large part, his crew causing so much damage to the beast before he got back.

"STRAW HAT!" Moria roared. "I HOPE YOU'RE READY TO DIE!"

"Not today, Moria!" Luffy blurred toward the Warlord, two dark shapes left behind where he had been standing before floating away. Unaware of the loss of two shadows, Luffy Shaved forward, punching Moria in the stomach before the Warlord could react. The Shadow-man flew backwards for a few feet before the shadows around him congealed into a net, slowing and stopping his momentum.

A shadow loomed over Luffy, the pirate looking up to see Oars' remaining hand ready to crush him. Luffy's gaze hardened in response, his borrowed sword swinging up to sever the hand from the arm. Grabbing the hand before it could fall, the blue pirate stretched his arms and swung, bitch-slapping an unprepared Moria with the giant hand. Even as that happened, however, another shadow flew away without Luffy's knowledge. The East Blue native raced toward Moria, the Warlord growling at him as his shadow rose into his hands to form a warhammer of pure darkness.

"Take this!" Moria ordered as Luffy approached. "Dark Miölnir!" Luffy twisted, the instincts of nearly twenty swordsman allowing him to catch the shadow hammer with his borrowed sword. Even so, the hammer's momentum still slammed him into the ground back-first at Moria's feet. "You're a fool, Monkey D. Luffy!" Moria declared as tendrils of shadow sprouted from his weapon, holding the younger pirate down. "You aren't ready for the New World, but with your shadow in Oars, I would be!"

"Bastard," Luffy hissed, struggling from his grounded position. Try as he might, though, he could not break the bindings. Moria raised his hammer again, ready to knock the other captain unconscious, but something larger overshadowed them. Retreating quickly, Moria managed to replace himself with his Doppleman.

"Super Crush!" An Oars without both hands or his right arm body slammed Luffy, pressing him into the ground. Moria stared into the grinning face of his prized pawn with surprise. "Got you, Straw Hat! I'm _super_ resilient!"

"Good work, Oars!" Moria laughed. "Now all that's left is to-!"

"Herk," Oars groaned, acting as if he were about to throw up. "What is-? Huh!" Oars' body started to rise without the zombie's say so. The sound of faint screaming erupted from the crack between the titan's stomach and the ground, growing louder as Oars got higher until, finally, the undead was launched into the air.

Standing where he had been before, a slightly-less-blue Luffy still had one hand raised from when he had been giving Oars a Gum-Gum Gatling to remember. Luffy bent down, never looking at Moria, before Shaving away and reappearing above the airborne zombie and twisting himself.

"Guuuuum-Guuuuum... Stoooorm!"

A veritable hailstorm of fists and feet rained down on the goliath speeding up his already-increasing downward momentum. Oars hit the ground where Moria was standing with an earth-shattering crash, a wave of compressed air destroying every tree in the vicinity. Luffy drew his sword before, as a last hurrah, separating both of the zombie's legs with a single flying slash. That deed done, the teen fell to the ground, the last of the shadows within him leaving to find their true owners and the sword he had so expertly wielded stabbing into the ground next to his face.

"That's it," Luffy grunted through heavy breaths. "We won."

...

Unfortunately, it seemed that Luffy spoke too soon, a sharp pillar of shadow stabbing through Oars' stomach before opening like some grotesque flower to reveal a bloody but very-much-alive and _pissed off_ Warlord.

"STRAAAAAAW HAAAAAAAT!"

Not having the energy to jerk in surprise, Luffy slowly turned a wide eye toward the steaming Warlord. "But..." he stammered. "But I..."

"You couldn't crush me that easy!" Moria yelled, the shadows around him growing into a mass of dark tentacles that wiggled around him, visualizing his anger. "You've ruined _everything!_ Forget taking your shadow! Forget using your body! When I'm done with you, your body will be so far gone that the Marines won't be able to confirm it's you! Come forth, _Loki's Wrath!"_ The shadow tentacles surged forward, their deadly points ready to pierce the worn-out teen...

 **End of Chapter 103**

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 **Dun Dun Duuuuunnnn!**

 **Gotcha! Don't you just love a good cliffhanger? There's nothing like the sweet smell of anger and suspense to drown out the stress sweat of finals... Wait, what do you mean they smell the same? No they don't! Right? Riiight?!**

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 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	106. Back-Up

**Chapter 104:**

 **Back-Up**

 _A veritable hailstorm of fists and feet rained down on the goliath, speeding up his already-increasing downward momentum. Oars hit the ground where Moria was standing with an earth-shattering crash, a wave of compressed air destroying every tree in the vicinity. Luffy drew his sword before, as a last hurrah, separating both of the zombie's legs with a single flying slash. That deed done, the teen fell to the ground, the last of the shadows within him leaving to find their true owners and the sword he had so expertly wielded stabbing into the ground next to his face._

 _"That's it," Luffy grunted through heavy breaths. "We won."_

 _Unfortunately, it seemed that Luffy spoke too soon, a sharp pillar of shadow stabbing through Oars' stomach before opening like some grotesque flower to reveal a bloody but very-much-alive and pissed Warlord._

 _"STRAAAAAAW HAAAAAAAT!"_

 _Not having the energy to jerk in surprise, Luffy slowly turned a wide eye toward the steaming Warlord. "But..." he stammered. "But I..."_

 _"You couldn't squish me that easy!" Moria yelled, the shadows around him growing into a mass of dark tentacles that wiggled around him, visualizing his anger. "You've ruined everything! Forget taking your shadow! Forget using your body! When I'm done with you, your body will be so far gone that the Marines won't be able to confirm it's you! Come forth, Loki's Wrath!" The shadow tentacles surged forward, their deadly points ready to pierce the worn-out teen._

There was nothing Luffy could do but stare at the deadly points Moria sent after him. The overwhelming power he had wielded just before was gone, spent throughout the short but titanic battle he'd held against Oars. Not only that, but Luffy was still forced to admit that he hadn't fully recovered after his fight with Lucci, at least, not enough for a battle with a Warlord. Now time seemed to slow as Moria's attack honed in on the immobile pirate. Luffy closed his eyes, sending a silent apology to his crew and wife.

"Dragon Twister!"

A whirlwind of green appeared between Luffy and the lethal attack, three swords throwing the shadows away from their intended path. Moria didn't react save for a slight deepening of his angry gaze as the failed attack returned to him. Luffy opened his eyes.

"Zoro," he croaked out.

"Don't worry, Captain," the swordsman grunted, never taking his eyes off the Warlord before them. "Everyone's accounted for and ready to go again accept for Merry. We'll take it from here."

"What... What happened to Merry?"

"Fall damage," Zoro answered. "It cracked her Heart, so she can't move for now. She'll be fine eventually."

"That's..." Luffy never finished, the reprise from fighting and the knowledge that his crew had his back allowing the rubber-man to slip into a much-needed slumber.

"That little brat fell asleep?" Moria growled. "I'll-"

"Your fight is with us," a new voice interrupted, an electrically-charged fist striking Moria's back. The Warlord jumped, a claw of shadow twisting around him to rip his attacker in half. Gin only grinned at him, his body fusing back together with the help of his Devil Fruit.

"10,000 Kilogram Press!" Moria jumped back once more, this time avoiding the crater that formed where he'd been standing. In the center was a blonde with an umbrella. "Kyahahaha! Hope you're ready, Moria, 'cause you're about to be in a world of hurt!"

"She's right, you know," another voice agreed. Moria spun, taking him his surroundings to find every member of the Straw Hat Pirates sans their captain and newest member armed and ready to fight. Behind them were the Rolling Pirates and the other members of the TBSA. And all of them were ready to fight him.

"You see," Coby continued, an underlying growl from his dinosauric vocal cords making his words reverberate, "while our captain might be the strongest of us individually, the rest of us aren't just skating by. Maybe you heard about it, but every one of us stormed Enies Lobby itself and fought our way back out. You might have outlasted Captain Luffy, but you can't take us all on."

"Is that so?" Moria replied, ropes of shadow growing from his feet and stretching out past the crowd, "Then I hope you have the strength of a thousand men, because I do! Come to me, shadows of Thriller Bark! Come and strengthen your master! Come and become my power! _Shadows Asgard_!"

Then, before the eyes of all in attendance, Moria began to grow, his body starting to bloat. The zombies around Thriller Bark fell one after the other, their stolen shadows abandoning the undead at the call of the Warlord.

"One hundred... two hundred... three hundred... four hundred..." Moria continued to grow with the number of shadows he absorbed, even Franky's shadow abandoning Oars' body and joining the rest within the shadow-man. Some of the Straw Hats tried to stop even some of the shadows, but to no avail. "Five hundred... six hundred... seven hundred... eight hundred..." The shadows began to slow, but still Moria grew. "Nine hundred... _one thousand shadows_!"

Moria dropped to all fours, but still he towered over his opponents. Unlike Luffy, Moria's skin didn't have any advanced elasticity, but still he grew until he stared down on the crowd from nearly a hundred feet. His neck bulged, the shadows within him stretching the skin and distorting his voice into a gravelly bass. His shoes were ripped apart from the inside as his feet swelled, revealing his sharpened nails. The buttons of Moria's shirt strained against newfound stress as the shirt barely grew with the shadow-man's torso.

"Holy shit," several of the men muttered.

"W-We can't beat him! Not like this!"  
"He has the strength of a thousand people!"  
"All we can do is run and hide!"

"You cowards!" Lola yelled. "Look at them! Look at the Straw Hats! They aren't moving, and neither will I!"

"She's right! We can't run now! We've got Moria backed into a corner!"

"The rats backed into corners are usually the most dangerous," Sanji muttered, lighting a new cigarette. "Nami-Swan? How long would you say until our shitty captain is back on his feet?"

"I don't know," the navigator admitted. "He heals fast, but after a fight like that..."

"RAAAAGHHHH!" Moria roared, swinging one arm downward. Zoro and Robin jumped away from what would become the impact sight, Moria's giant fingers digging trenches in the already-destroyed ground.

"You might be _super_ strong!" Franky yelled, "but we're even more _super!_ Weapons Left!" The cyborg fired, the projectile exploding against the engorged Warlord's stomach. Moria screamed in a mix of pain and rage, a dozen or so shadows fleeing from his through his mouth before his teeth could shut.

"Did you see that?!" Coby called. "It looks like he can't control the shadows properly!"

"Silence, boy!" Moria ordered, a giant fist baring down in the Zoan who tried to jump away. A crewmate protected him, though, Amy jumping in and increasing her mass while Coby ducked beneath her.

"Dense Shield!" The air pressure blew the rosette away and splintered the ground, but Moria's middle finger's largest bone fractured from the impact. The Warlord reeled back, grasping his hand as another half-dozen shadows oozed out of his bruised flesh as it healed from the combined healing factors of over nine-hundred people.

"Our turn!" Zoro and Sanji declared, the former jumping to balance himself of the latter's leg.

"Mosshead Shoot!" the cook called, launching the green-haired swordsman upward toward the Warlord.

"Brick Bat: Shadow Box!" Moria's shadow shot toward Zoro who started spinning his swords in response, slicing each shadow bat in half and ruining the box.

"Three Sword Style Secret Technique: Three Thousand Worlds!" Zoro shot past Moria, long, deep cuts slashing through the Warlord's stomach. Moria staggered backward, coughing up blood and shadows as he tripped onto a giant chain. Grabbing that, he pulled himself up and accidentally turned the rudder.

Storm clouds rumbled above the assembled pirates, the Straw Hats turning to glance at their navigator. Of them, Nami's eyes locked with Gin's, giving him a small nod. Moria missed this, his fingers raking through the clouds in an attempt to disperse them.

"Hey, Moria!" Gin yelled, both tonfa pointed at the clouds. "I wouldn't worry about those clouds if I were you." Lightning arched down from the clouds, missing Moria altogether and connecting with the Logia's weapons. Gin's form all but faded, the new surge of energy making every atom in his body vibrate to the point where his form was fuzzy. Slowly, his tonfa dropped to aim at the oversized Warlord, light condensing between the golden orbs on the ends.

"Thunderbolt Tempo: Lightning Shot!" Gin and Nami declared in tandem, another bolt striking Gin and instantly being redirected into the attack he released at the same time. The electricity slammed into Moria like a sea-train, the pale man flailing as the energy was painfully discharged into the ground through his bare feet. The attack burned away his shirt and coat, leaving Moria with nothing but his pants.

The shadow-man jerked and roared as the electricity coarsed through him, far more shadows than before abandoning the man who called himself their master. Moria had shrunk by the end of the attack, a full fourth of his previous power gone. Gin was worse for wear, however, passing out from the about of energy he'd put into the attack.

Moria reeled, staggering in an attempt to keep his footing even as shadows fled from him in droves. Down on the ground, the shortest redhead grabbed the now-only undead's arm.

"Brook, show me your sword." The skeleton didn't answer, holding out his rapier-cane for the girl. Grace pulled out her pallet, quickly covering the blade with red paint. "I need you to get this on Moria's torso."

"Yohoho! Will do!"

"Hold him down!" Coby yelled, every Straw Hat sans Luffy and Gin dashing forward. Giant arms bloomed from Moria's back, two of them grabbing his arms and another wrapping around his neck. Brook and Zoro reached him first, the the latter hacking away at his legs while the former ran up his legs to leave a long, red smear across the Warlord's chest. Moria ripped an arm free and swatted at him, but the nimble swordsman jumped over his hand and ran back down, making an X. Amy caught up to Coby, jumping into his arms.

"Throw me!" the blonde ordered, a small symbol of red paint on her arm. Coby shrugged before beginning to spin, launching a less-than-one-kilogram Amy at the Warlord with all his Zoan strength.

"Yellow Meteor!" they called in tandem. Moria had just enough time to turn toward the sound before a 10,000- Kilogram Amy slammed into his sternum, right where the X crossed. Moria went down with gasp, toppling backwards into a crumbling tower. The brick and stone gave way underneath him, digging into his back as Moria finally hit the ground.

Shadows blasted from Moria's mouth like black lava from an erupting volcano, the Warlord's form shrinking. The pirates that hadn't gotten there to help deal the finishing blow surrounded him, ready to act if he made a move, however unlikely that was. Amy continued to sit on his stomach, cratering the ground as her weight continued to force the shadows from Moria's body.

Nami turned away from them, her eyes coming to rest on the downed form of her husband. Luffy was awake, though he couldn't move, a tired smile on his face. The clouds over Thriller Bark broke, a ray of sun falling on the pirate captain.

Nami rushed over, picking Luffy up and holding him tightly. The rest of Moria's victims both on Thriller Bark and throughout the world rejoiced as their shadows returned at long last.

Thriller Bark had fallen.

However, just when appeared that the war was over, a new enemy revealed themselves...

 **End of Chapter 104**

* * *

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 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	107. The Sacrifice

**Chapter 105:**  
 **The Sacrifice**

 _The once-victims of the Warlord Gecko Moria rejoiced his downfall, the sun they had longed to see for so long finally shining above them. None of them were aware, but Thriller Bark had been on the edge of the Florian Triangle for some time, so Moria falling on the rudder's control in the final battle had pitched the island-ship just enough to send it out of the dreaded waters._

 _Of the pirates that had challenged Moria, Luffy, Gin, and Merry were out cold. Luffy and Gin only had to sleep it off, but Merry's state was a little harder to determine. She had taken a pair of bad falls during the Straw Hats' battle Oars, making her spirit too weak to maintain its physical form, so she was currently trapped in her wooden Heart. Usopp held said Heart, tending to its cracks as well as he could while thinking of ways to chastise his little, adopted niece-daughter for her recklessness._

 _However, just when appeared that the war was over, a new enemy revealed themselves..._

"Yes, that is correct," a calm bass agreed, the voice cutting through the cheer like a sharpened sword through paper. "The Warlord Gecko Moria has just been defeated by the Straw Hat Pirates, but only by Straw Hat's underlings and not Straw Hat himself." Everyone in the vicinity froze, slowly turning toward the voice to see a second Warlord sitting calmly on some rubble.

"I see," another voice responded, this one coming from the transponder snail in Bartholomew Kuma's right hand. "In that case, eliminate every pirate you can. Bring Straw Hat to us alive so he can be an example for future pirates, but kill the rest of his no-good rabble."

"Understood." Kuma let the snail fall asleep before gently tucking it away and turning to face the group. "I presume you heard that? My orders are to kill you all, but killing a wounded group would give me no pleasure. If I return with Straw Hat only, that should be enough to satisfy the World Government. Hand him over to me."

"That's _super_ ridiculous!" Franky responded, clicking his T-bar between his arms as the rest of the crew joined him in answering the Warlord.

"We'll never betray our captain! No way in Hell!"

"Then you will not comply?" Kuma placed his bible down, one hand pulling his glove off his left hand.

"Shave!" Coby yelled, vanishing, only to reappear with his swords pushing into some pink mounds on the palms of the Warlord's hands. The Zoan didn't have time to voice his confusion before he was shot backwards, rubble caving in on him.

"Coby!" the crew cried. Grace dashed forward, a spray of black paint splattering over Kuma's left thigh.

"Stay here and take us on!" Grace ordered, expecting her Betrayal Black to make Kuma leave. Kuma stared down at her, his pants and leg bubbling from the acid in the paint, before his hand came down to smack her away. The redhead rolled across the ground, collecting a plethora of scratches, scrapes, and bruises before she crashed into a wall.

"What are you?" Zoro demanded as Franky fired off a Coup de Burst. Kuma deflected the compressed air without a twitch in his expression, his eyes turning to Zoro.

"I ate the Paw-Paw Fruit and became a paw-palmed human," the Warlord answered, showing off the paws on his hands. "I can repel anything I wish."

"Repel this!" Sanji shouted, a burning leg arching down on a path toward the Warlord's head. Kuma didn't so much as flinch as Sanji's foot connected with a blast of heat, one hand coming up lazily to grab the chef's leg and throw him away with the force of a cannonball. Sanji spun uncontrollably, slamming into a wall headfirst.

Brook attacked next, his lighter form appearing before the Warlord with his rapier aimed for Kuma's neck. The paw-palmed man leaned out of the way, the blade severing a tiny ball of black curls from his hair. Again, Kuma's hand came up to smack his opponent away, sending Brook over a wall and out of sight.

"Thunderbolt Tempo!" Nami called, electricity firing downward. The Warlord finally moved, dodging the blast of lightning and appearing before the navigator. Nami stepped back, bringing her Clima-Tact up to block, but Zoro appeared between her and their absurdly-tall adversary.

"Two Sword Style, Draw and Resheath: Rashomon!"

Kuma's face remained expressionless, blasting both swordsman and navigator away with just a flex of his hand. Zoro's attack carved a trench in the ground behind the Warlord, but Kuma ignored it completely.

"Firebird Star!"

"10,000 Kilogram Press!"

"Heavy Gong!"

Kuma assessed his opponents as their attacks neared from the left, top, and right respectively. Coming to a decision, Kuma lifted one hand toward the sky and the other toward his right. The first caught Amy, bouncing her up and away like a strong trampoline, the girl crashing into and through the remains of a tower. The second stopped Chopper cold, blasting him back into a crowd of Rolling Pirates. Usopp's Firebird Star impacted the Warlord's back, searing through the jacket, shirt, and fake skin there to reveal the sturdy metal underneath.

"Y-You're a cyborg?!" Usopp gaped, only barely finding the right frame of mind to roll away from the missile of pressurized air the giant man sent his way. Merry's Heart fell out of his satchel as he moved, bouncing across the ground a couple of times before spiritual energy leaked from it and condensed into the form of a little, white-haired girl without clothes. Usopp was in front of her in an instant, his ghost-hunting cloak covering her modesty. Kuma eyed the new appearance like one would gaze upon an exotic animal in a zoo, his eyes lingering on her horns and Straw Hat tattoo (before the cloak covered it).

"A new member of the Straw Hat Pirates," Kuma acknowledged. "The description agrees with the report filed by Vice-Admiral Garp. Designation: "Ghost Ship" Going Merry. Bounty: 15 million."

"Leave her alone!" Franky ordered. "There's only one _super_ cyborg around here, and that's me! Strong Hammer!" Kuma caught the shorter half-machine man's punch with a forearm. The shipwright only had time to gasp before his vision was filed with paw-covered hand and he was rocketed into the castle.

"Ocho Fleur!" Robin called, eight arms blooming around Kuma's neck and grabbing onto some part of his head. "Snap!" The arms pulled as one, attempting to yank the Warlord's head to the right in order to break his neck. The attempt failed, Kuma's head turning only to watch Robin directly.

"Lay off my family!" Merry ordered, ducking around Usopp and charging the Warlord. She threw her hammer, the wooden mallet bouncing off the cyborg's broad chest with a _thunk._ Kuma opened his mouth, a beam of light building in his mouth before shooting toward the approaching fairy.

Merry dove out of the way, the beam blasting a trench in the ground behind her and blowing Rolling pirates and Thriller Bark survivors away.

Apparently tired of fighting, Kuma reached his hands toward the heavens, ripple of air taking the form of a giant paw above him. The paw rippled, shrinking a few inches.

"Run!" Lola ordered, finally breaking out of her shock. Her men heeded the order instantly, fleeing from the battlefield with the unconscious Straw Hats they could reach. "Run while you can!"

"Merry!" Usopp called. "Come back here!"

"But-!" Merry tried to protest, Kuma's attack growing smaller and smaller. Realizing how dangerous it truly was, she called her hammer to her hand and turned to retreat. "Dammit!"

Usopp didn't chastise her for her language, scooping her into his arms and starting to run just as Kuma's attack reached the size of his head. The paw of pressurized air shrunk to the size of his hands shortly after, his hands cupping it and blocking most of what seemed to be light coming from the paw. He opened his hands, letting the paw-shaped attack float forward toward the center of the courtyard.

"Ursa Shock."

* * *

The destruction was complete and absolute. No stone remained on any other within the courtyard, that is to say, about three quarters of the mansion surrounding said courtyard ceased to exist. Pirates were scattered every which way, slumped over the ground in a way that would confuse Moria himself as to if they were zombies or victims. The Tyrant looked over the devastation without an ounce of emotion, his eyes coming to rest on the prone form of Monkey D. Luffy. He took several large steps forward, covering the distance between himself and his target in less than a minute. He stopped briefly, his hands ready to take Straw Hat and leave.

"One Sword Style: Death Lion's Song!"

Kuma finally stumbled, a gash tearing its way across his left shoulder and revealing the gears and mechanisms therein. A panting Zoro slowly sheathed Wado Ichimonji behind the large cyborg, having rescued his captain for a second time.

"A cyborg _and_ Devil Fruit powers?" Zoro panted. "You'd think I'd start feeling like you had an advantage over me."

"I am no mere cyborg," Kuma corrected, turning to face the swordsman that had somehow managed to not only remain conscious after his Ursa Shock, but still attack him faster than his sensors could detect. "I am called a Pastfista, the first of an experimental line being created for the World Government by Doctor Vegapunk himself. To give you a frame of reference, it's said that it will take the rest of the world 500 years to begin developing the technology that Vegapunk is creating now."

"I don't care," Zoro growled, trying to stand against Kuma and feeling his legs give out. "This is embarrassing," he grunted. "My legs won't listen to me, but that doesn't matter. You want Luffy's head, right? I'll give you a head, but it sure as Hell won't be my captain's. Take my head instead."

Kuma showed no reaction to Zoro's demand. "And why would I accept that?" he asked.

"Because I am the man who is destined to become the world's greatest swordsman!" Zoro paused, his left hand gripping the handle of Wado Ichimonji before his determined eyes glared at Kuma. "Luffy _will_ be the King of the Pirates some day, and it's a shame that I may never get to see it, but what is the worth of my ambition if I can't even save my captain? What are you waiting for? Show me you have some honor!"

"What the Hell do you think you're doing, Mosshead?" an irritated voice demanded, Sanji shoving a couple of displaced blocks of stone off himself and getting to his feet. Bypassing the shocked swordsman, the chef placed himself between his crewmate and the Warlord. "If you want a head, take mine! I might not be worth a lot yet, but you'll regret not taking my head later if you don't do it now. This is your only chance to take on Black Leg Sanji!"

His tone softened, the blond tilting his head back only a fraction of an inch. "Hey, Mosshead. Tell the others I'm sorry to leave without saying goodbye for me. And tell them I'm sorry to leave them hanging. Looks like you all will need to find a new coo-" He trailed off, his mouth opened in a silent scream as Zoro bashed him in the side with the handle of Kitetsu III.

"You son of a-" He didn't finish, his form crumbling.

"There," Zoro stated. "What are you waiting for?"

"Me." The swordsman didn't have time to turn around before something collided with the top of his head. As he fell, he was able to make out black hair before he joined his rival on the ground in the sweet embrace of unconsciousness.

"Electric Devil Gin," Kuma announced, eyeing the only now-conscious man before him. "Worth 100 million, it is believed that you ate the Rumble-Rumble Logia Fruit, though you have been untruthful as to its origins. What do you have to offer that could top this swordsman beneath you?"

"I _killed_ god himself to take this power!" Gin responded, his eyes shadowed by his hair. "I _claimed_ this power to save myself, but I _accepted_ this power to protect my crew. And now, I _offer_ you this power for that same reason. Take my head! Take my Fruit! In exchange, leave my family the Hell alone!"

"You Straw Hats," Kuma sighed. "First the swordsman pins me in a corner by putting my honor on the line, now you do the same thing. Allow me to ask you this. How are you standing? If I recall, you were unconscious for the final battle like Straw Hat himself, yet you are now awake when he is not? Why do you wish to throw you're life away for this man?"

"I'm assuming Donna Nami fired off an electric attack or two because the ambient electricity was enough to wake me up. As for your second question; Don Luffy _is_ the man who will be the King of the Pirates! I have no doubt in this statement, nor will I ever. Just as I know that Sanji _will_ find the All Blue one day and Zoro _will_ defeat Mihawk. I _know_ that Donna Nami _will_ complete a map of the world and Grace _will_ become a world-famous painter. Chopper _will_ cure every disease and Robin _will_ learn the true history. Every one of my friends will reach their goals, it is only a matter of when, not if! I have no such ambition. My only goal was to sail this sea, to conquer my fear of it, and to reach the end.

"If this is my end, then so be it! I shall die saving my family! _For Don Luffy! For the Straw Hat Pirates!_ "

"Very well," Kuma agreed. "If you are to take his place, then you must take it fully." The Warlord lifted Luffy gently, pressing one hand against the teen's chest. A paw-shaped bubble tinged pink around the edges grew from the pirate's back until it overshadowed Kuma himself. The Warlord then replaced Luffy on the ground before picking up Zoro and creating a much smaller bubble, this one slightly green. The second was only about a third the size of the original until both bubbles combined.

"What did you do to them?" Gin demanded.

"My Fruit allows me to deflect anything I wish. Attacks of course, but also pain, exhaustion, ache. This is the accumulation of agony Straw Hat went through in his battle with Moria tonight as well as some of what Roranoa went through. To take their place, you must bare it all. Only then will you truly replace either. Allow me to give you a taste."

Kuma swiped his hand through the bubble, a comparatively tiny piece floating toward and into the Logia. Gin gritted his teeth and screamed as pain the likes of which he had never known wracked his body. He collapsed as most of the pain subsided to a strong ache.

"Do you still wish to continue?"

Gin scowled in response, pushing himself to his feet and throwing his tonfa at the Warlord's feet where they stuck out of the ground mere inches from his shoes.

"I pick the place. Let's go."

* * *

Sanji and Zoro awoke at the same time to the sounds of a cheering crowd and their captain's happy laughter. A quick glace showed then that Luffy was his usual self, bouncing around this way and that as if the night before hadn't happened. It was morning, the shining sun above them saying that it was almost midday.

"You moron!" Sanji growled, grabbing the front of Zoro's shirt. "Trying to sacrifice yourself!"

"You tried to, too, dartbrow!" Zoro shot back. "But... I didn't."

"What?" Zoro forced himself to his feet, leaving Sanji in the dust to chase after him as the swordsman raced into the woods, but Zoro was faster than Sanji for once, the cook losing the swordsman in the trees.

It took Zoro far too long to find Gin in the forest, over fifteen minutes, but all Zoro really did was follow the scent of blood and ozone, even if he did get lo- err, turned around a couple of times. It was a gruesome sight when he did finally find the man who had taken his place in taking Luffy's place. Gin's clothing was nothing but scraps and his eyes were tinted red. Blood and scorch marks covered everything in the clearing. The grass that wasn't covered in red was black and charred beyond recognition. Zoro had no clue how, but blood still dripped from the Logia in the center of it all.

"You idiot!" Zoro yelled. "What did you do?! What happened?"

"What did I do?" Gin repeated in a dry voice. "What happened? Oh, nothing special. I was only doing my duty..."

 **End of Chapter 105**

* * *

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 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	108. The Aftermath

**Chapter 106:**

 **The Aftermath**

It was a party that now filled what remained of Moria's mansion, music and singing drifting through the air as alcohol of every kind passed between hands without discrimination. Brook had uncovered a piano in the corner, the instrument surviving untouched by some miracle of fate. Only Gin was unable to take part in the festivities, the man still unconscious from his stunt the night before and it was only thanks to his Logia powers that he hadn't bled out from the combined pain and damage of Luffy and Zoro.

"What happened to Gin?" Luffy wondered aloud, taking a break from the party to look over his injured crew. Chopper had assured him that Gin would make a full recovery with time, but Luffy was still worried about what had happened while he was unconscious. His crew had mentioned another Warlord, but none of them were able or willing to offer any more than that.

"We can tell you!" a pair of voices answered the captain, the teen turning to see a couple of pirates. One was skinny with a ginger afro and what seemed to be a black eye while the other was heavy-set with a mask/hat and two buck teeth. "We saw the whole thing!"

"Who are you?"

"We're the Risky Brothers!" Luffy blinked, not sure if he'd heard of them or met their zombies. "You wanna know what happened last night?"

Luffy moved to answer, but his sources of information were quickly dragged away by Sanji and Zoro, much to their distress. Luffy shrugged, turning back to the party and the buffet of meat calling his name.

"Alright," Sanji growled as the quartet reached the center of the destroyed courtyard, releasing the red-haired brother as Zoro pushed the other on his butt. "Spill. What happened?"

"We don't want Luffy to know," Zoro said before either brother could question their motives. "It would kill him to know one of us almost died for his sake."

"W-Well," the smaller brother began, "after the guy with the tonfa knocked you out, he gave this awesome speech about you all. Then Kuma picked up you and Straw Hat and pushed these bubbles out of you. He said that they were your pain, damage, and agony from last night."

"Yeah," the bigger brother agreed. "Just a little bit of that stuff had him screaming like he was being murdered, but he got back up like a badass and demanded to pick the location. We followed them to this clearing where that guy stared at the ball of pain for a while."

"And then, suddenly, he jumped into the ball! We couldn't see the next part; there was a flash of light, a boom of thunder, and then he was just screaming. It was terrible!"

"He wouldn't stop screaming," the larger brother shivered. "At first, lightning was shooting out of him as he screamed, burning everything. We had to retreat because the lightning hit the tree we were hiding behind. Then he ran out of lightning or something and started bleeding! But he wouldn't stop screaming! Not even when he started going crazy, like he turned into a monster or something. His voice got deeper and he stopped flailing around, but he did start smashing stuff with his bare fists with this big grin on his face, even as he kept convulsing! It was scary!"

"Then it was over," the smaller brother finished. "He never fell. Not even when he couldn't scream anymore. Kuma left eventually, saying something about 'D's. Don't know why, though."

"Thanks for the info," Zoro nodded, suddenly holding both brothers at swordpoint. "Don't tell anyone what you saw. Especially Luffy!"

"But-!"

"No buts," Sanji denied, taking a puff from his cigarette. "Gin didn't try to sacrifice himself for recognition. He did it because we all believe in Luffy. So not a word of this, or we'll make sure you never say anything ever again." The Risky Brothers nodded quietly, the action prompting the other duo to head back inside.

"They're so cool!" the brothers gushed behind them.

Unknown to all party's involved, a single ear vanished into a pair of flower peddles as the chef and swordsman walked away.

* * *

Sanji and Zoro returned to the image of most of the guys of their crew making fools of themselves, dancing to Brook's music on top of the tables. Usopp was regaling pirates with stories of their adventures, edited to give him a more prominent role of course, while Amy was sitting at a table next to them, correcting him, and Merry laughing at her uncle's fumbling denials. Chopper, Franky, and Coby were dancing a cancan on another table, Grace laughing at them with a box of rice crackers. Robin had taken a position watching over Gin while the others partied, a drink in her hand. Sanji split off from Zoro quickly, returning to the grill to start replenishing the food Luffy had eaten in their absence. The Captain and navigator were over by the piano, talking with Brook as his music floated through the air. Zoro shrugged, walking over to join them just as the Brook's part of the music stopped with a dissonant chord, falling out of sync with the tone dial set before him.

"He..." Brook chocked, trying to continue the music, but only doing so with a slow, inconsistent tempo. "He's still there? Laboon's still waiting for us at Reverse Mountain?"

"Has been for fifty years," Nami confirmed, Luffy's arm around her shoulder. "Crocus thought you all had run away and forgotten about him, but Laboon never gave up on you." Tears leaked from Brook's eye sockets, falling on the ivory keys.

"I... I'm... I'm so glad to be alive!" Brook cried. "I'm so glad I never gave up! I'm so ha-a-a-appy!" His voice fell to a whisper, the skeleton looking over to Luffy. "By any chance, is that offer to join your crew still open?"

Luffy grinned, his teeth shining. "Of course!"

"What?!" Coby, Usopp, Sanji, Grace, Amy, Chopper, and Franky gaped. Zoro, Nami, Robin, and Merry had no such reactions, having expected something like that. "Just like that?!"

Despite their surprise, most of the crew abandoned their positions and rushed Brook, dragging the skeleton from the piano bench and tossing him in the air. Nami, Robin, Grace, and Zoro sat this out, laughing at the fun the rest of their number had.

Brook pulled away rather quickly, flipping back toward the piano. He landed in a crouch, pulling a faded and torn page from his tattered jacket and smacking it to the floor. The pirates could just read WANTED beneath his finger bones.

"My apologies for not introducing myself properly last we met. My name is Brook! Once upon I time, I led a battalion in my homeland's army! After my retirement, I sailed the seas as a musician with the Rumbar Pirates, eventually succeeding Yorki as the acting captain! With a bounty of 33 million Beris on my head, I'm a wanted man known as Humming Brook, and I now pledge both my life and unlife to my Captain Monkey D. Luffy! That is to say, I'll work myself _to the bone_! Yohohoho!"

The party fell back into rhythm after that, not stopping for a whole two and a half days. Gin awoke on that second day, complaining of a pounding headache and unable to move his limbs. Chopper assured him that he would be fine after some food and rest with the help of his Logia powers, something about his battery running dry that only he, Gin, Usopp, and Merry understood. With some painkillers stuffed into him, Gin then pulled Chopper aside for an examination he seemed private about.

That night, however, was not amusing.

There was no sign of any of the original inhabitants of Thriller Bark anywhere to be found, not even Moria, so Amy had commandeered Perona's room for her and Grace to sleep in rather than hike all the way back to the Sunny, a task Grace refused to take part in. Coby had offered to give her a ride, but Amy had shot that down instantly. Sure, she'd come to terms with the possibility them being... _together_ at some point in the future (she shivered at the thought of her sister growing up), but she wasn't going to make it easy for Pinky.

And so, the sisters shared Perona's giant bed, free from the snoring of all the other pirates downstairs. Luckily, the Grand Line weather had made them light sleepers as the sound of the door creaking open woke them, the light from the torches outside casting a flickering shadow over the floor. They stayed quiet, waiting for the intruder to make themself known. The shadow grew, it's owner approaching the bed with heavy, uneven footsteps. Amy and Grace were certain it must be someone from the TBSA; none of the crew walked that heavily. Because of this, Amy had no qualms with waiting until the person was right next to the bed before punching them with an increased-mass punch. The person flew across the room, their body smashing a drawer to kindling as Grace reached over and flipped on the lights.

"Gin?" Amy blinked, eyeing the man in the pile of broken wood. "What the Hell are you doing here?"

Gin laid in the rubble, his body quivering, but it was not the Gin the sisters had come to call Nakama. The most different thing about him were his eyes, his dark pupils sharp but unfocused. The man's mouth was stretched into a bloodthirsty grin, the ends twitching as he sniffed the air like some sort of bloodhound or hunting dog. Or some beast.

"Cookukuku," Gin chuckled darkly. "Cooookukuku!"

He pushed himself up, his unfocused eyes landing on Amy. With a growl, the man lunged forward at the blonde who grabbed her parasol from beside the bed.

Gin didn't slow down until he impaled himself on the accessory, little sparks dancing away from where the umbrella skewered him. Still, he struggled, reaching for the older woman.

"Stop it, Gin!" Amy begged. "What's wrong with you?"

Gin gnashed his teeth at her.

"Color Trap: Drowsy Dark Blue!"

Navy paint splattered on the out-of-control Logia, his movements slowing for only a moment before redoubling in ferocity. One hand brushed past Amy's cheek, leaving a tiny electrical burn. She growled, kicking him off her parasol and back into the wreckage of the drawer.

"I don't get it!" Grace whisper-yelled. "I was able to get my sleep paint to work on Gin shortly before we entered the Triangle. Why didn't he fall asleep?"

"He's already asleep," a new voice answered, Chopper rushing into the room with Gin's headband in one hoof and most of Usopp's Rubber Bands of Doom in the other. Changing into Heavy Point, Chopper quickly subdued the resisting Gin, leaving him with his arms and legs bound together with rubber and his headband firmly keeping his powers in check.

"What do you mean he's still asleep?" Amy demanded. "He looked pretty damn awake when he attacked us!"

Chopper huffed, taking various readings of Gin's vitals, the man struggling all the while. "I might be breaking patient confidentially with this, but I feel like everyone on the crew will need to know... I think whatever happened with Kuma has given Gin Multiple Personality Disorder."

"W-What do you mean?" Grace questioned, her voice wavering.

"Before this, Gin had something of a berserker state he'd warned me about in case I ever needed to sedate him," Chopper explained. "Since joining the crew, he's only used it three times: Whiskey Peak, his battle with Eneru, and on the Bridge of Hesitation in a much milder sense."

"Ok?" Amy blinked. "And you think that's somehow connected to this?" She gestured at the struggling lightning-man.

"Yes," Chopper nodded. "Like I said before, he'd warned me. He said it was like this tiny voice in the back of his head. He could ignore it easily most of the time, but Gin told me after waking up this morning that the voice was gone completely. He seemed happy about it, but it got me worried. Looks like it was a good thing I decided to check up on him."

"What now?" Grace asked. "We'll have to tell the rest of the crew that this other Gin isn't afraid to attack them. He demonstrated that only a minute ago. And what will we call this alternate Gin?"

"We'll figure that out tomorrow," Chopper answered, smacking Gin over the head with a fist. The man crumpled, falling unconscious completely so the doctor could heft him onto his shoulder. "Please get back to sleep. Luffy said we're leaving tomorrow."

Amy and Grace watched Chopper retreat into the hallway before glancing at each other. Both of them knew going back to sleep would be no easy feat, Grace offering her Drowsy Dark Blue with an uncertain shrug.

 **End of Chapter 106**

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 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	109. Departure

**This is that last chapter I have, and it's well timed, too. The next arc isn't done yet and my summer job starts next week. I'll be dark for as while. Not sure how long, but hopefully work will jostle my muse. Until next time!**

* * *

 **Chapter 107:**  
 **Departure**

"That's the last of it," Usopp panted, dropping the last crate in the hold before returning to the deck of the Thousand Sunny. The sun shone brightly on the ship as its crew prepared to leave Thriller Bark that day. All of Moria's treasure had been left on the ship from when Perona had tried to steal it, so it was only the food that had to be replaced on the ship. The sniper blinked away the sunlight as he stepped out on the grassy deck to take in the scene.

Luffy, Nami, Amy, Grace, Brook, and Merry were all relaxing on the deck itself, the navigator all but passed out on a pile of riches. Luffy rummaged through it, pulling out an armband and throwing it on without preamble. Amy all but followed the navigator's example, using a lawn chair to tan rather than have a cash coma. Grace was painting her, something about contrast between the dark backdrop and her sunny disposition that no one understood. Brook basked in the sunlight, a soft melody drifting from his violin. Lola watched all this with a hint of confusion as if she couldn't believe that they were free or that this carefree bunch was the group that freed them.

"Where did you say you were going?" the female pirate captain asked, shaking herself out of her daze. Luffy turned to her with a smile.

"We're going to Fishman Island!" Luffy answered. "That marks the halfway point to the One Piece!"

"Fishman Island?" the smaller Risky Brother questioned, popping up over the railing.

"I remember that place!" the larger brother added, joining his brother.

"You've been there?" Luffy gasped, boggling. Usopp appeared out of the kitchen where he had been helping Sanji set booby traps to protect the food, drawn to the discussion like a moth to a flame.

"Sure have!" the first brother laughed. "I will never forget it! Those mermaid beauties are beyond compare!"

"Mermaid beauties?" Sanji demanded, bursting from the kitchen.

"Yohoho!" Brook laughed. "I wonder if they'd be willing to show me their panties!" Within seconds, Brook and Sanji were dancing a cancan whist singing about mermaids.

"No, you idiots!" the larger brother admonished with a lecherous smile. "Think about it! Mermaids don't wear panties!" Sanji and Brook gasped before their dancing redoubled in intensity, now including the Risky Brothers. Lola shook her head with exasperation before turning back to the captain and his wife.

"So you've been to Fishman Island?" Nami question, ignoring the morons with practiced ease. "Then what are you doing back here?"

"Oh, no," Lola shook her head. "We came to Fishman Island from the other direction. See, my crew originated from the New World on the other side of the Red Line."

"Wow, really!" Luffy's eyes sparkled.

"Mhm," Lola nodded, reaching into her back pocket and pulling out a small piece of paper. "You all are headed the direction, so I'm going to give you this." She signed a bottom corner before tearing away part of the paper and handing it to Luffy.

"What is it?" Luffy asked, Nami peering at it over his shoulder.

"It's my mama's Vivre Card. She's a powerful pirate in the New World, so if you see her, tell her hello and that I'm doing well. She should help you if she knows we're friends."

"What's so special about it?" the captain wondered, the paper slowly growing.

"Vivre Cards are special papers that only one island in the world can make. They're able to infuse part of a person's soul into these little papers so they reflect the life force of a person. See, this one is whole and growing, so Mama is alive and well. Also," she held out her hand, the paper inching along toward her fingers, "they are drawn to their original owner, so you can always find them by following their Vivre Card."

"Hey, Luffy?" Nami began as Luffy handed her the card. "Don't you already have one of these?"

"You have a Vivre Card? But they're only made in the New World!"

Luffy nodded, digging out a card from within his hat. Unlike the card Lola had given them, this card had a red tinge, nearly a fourth of it having disintegrated.

"Who...?" Lola began hesitantly. "Who's card is that?"

"My big brother's," Luffy answered solemnly, staring at the card as if trying to make a decision. "What does this mean?"

"Your brother is in terrible danger," Lola responded, equally solemn. "If the paper burns away, then the person has died." Luffy nodded before tucking the paper back into his hat securely.

"Are we going to go after Ace?" Nami questioned, Lola jolting at the name.

"Nah," her husband waved off. "Ace wouldn't want me to interfere with his adventure. He's been in plenty of tight spots before; I'm sure he'll be fine. He'd never live it down if his little brother saved his life."

"If you're sure," Nami relented.

"I'm sorry," Lola interjected, "but did you say Ace? As in _Firefist Ace?"_

"You know him?" Nami asked over Luffy's "Yeah!"

"Only in name. Mama wanted to recruit him after he gained his Logia Fruit, but Whitebeard snatched him up first."

"Oh well!" Luffy laughed, his jovial attitude returning in an instant. He snatched a handful of gold from the pile behind him and handed it over to Lola. "Here. We don't need all this to ourselves and you'll need to buy food or something."

"Don't give away my treasure without permission!" Nami roared, not taking the gold from Lola.

"Are..." Lola swallowed. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Nami pouted. "Luffy, we should leave soon. Franky should be done fixing up Brook's old ship for the Rolling Pirates in about an hour and, from what I can tell, the weather will be good for sailing until nightfall at least."

"Alright!" the captain cheered. "All hands on deck! Prepare to set sail!"

* * *

The Straw Hats left Thriller Bark with many goodbyes and farewells, waving until the island of the dead was nothing but a spot in the distance. They continued forward for another hour or so before Chopper called them together in the dining room. Everyone was present, even Gin despite him still being unable to do any heavy work until Chopper deemed him healthy enough. It was a good thing too, for his participation was necessary.

"Alright, Chopper," Zoro muttered, breaking the ice. "I was in the middle of training, so this better be good."

"I'm... not sure if good is the right word," the fluffy doctor responded, his eyes meeting with Gin's. The Logia nodded, allowing the Zoan to take a deep breath and press ahead. "As I'm sure you all know, Gin was heavily injured during our fights with both Moria and Kuma, two of the Warlords of the Sea. Injured moreso than the rest of us."

"Are you going somewhere with this?" Sanji asked, breathing out a puff of smoke.

"It's something to do with the voices, isn't it?" Merry questioned before Chopper could respond. "I remember the conversation you two had just after Alabasta."

"Voices?" Usopp all but demanded. "What voices? We aren't haunted, are we? We're haunted, aren't we?!"

"We're not haunted by anything, Long-Nose," Amy grunted. "The closest thing we have to a ghost is the lemon-hating bonehead we call our musician."

"Ghosts?!" said undead yelped. "Oh, you mean me. You almost scared me out of my skin, Ms. Amy. Not that I have any skin anymore! Yohohoho!"

"Can we get back on topic, please?" Coby asked. "I believe Merry said something about voices?"

"The Voice had been with me for most of my life, or it feels that way at least" Gin spoke up, pulling everyone's attention to him. "I never knew my mother, but my father tried his best to raise me alone. We lived in a small, coal-mining town on a small island in the East Blue, and that's where I stayed for the first sixteen years of my life.

"I was almost seventeen when it happened; the mines exploded, killing every worker inside including my father. His death, it hit me hard. Gave me nightmares and made it hard to sleep. Still does sometimes." Gin blinked, the bags under his eyes seeming suddenly more pronounced.

"It was during those long, sleepless nights that the Voice first showed up. It nagged me, yelled at me that the explosion hadn't been an accident. It ordered me to track down the person who owned the mine and to beat the answer out of them. To get my revenge." Gin's face fell and he turned away from Luffy, a single tear sliding down his face. "I held on for a week.

"It was my seventeenth birthday when I tracked her down to the next town over. No one questioned me or asked where I was going. To them, I was just another kid going out to practice with my weapons in case pirates attacked. I can't even remember the woman's name, but I got her to confess. Looking back, I wonder if she just said that so I'd end her pain.

"And then Krieg appeared, his crew pillaging the town. He found me like that, covered in human blood, the still-warm corpse in front of me, all alone in the world. He swept me away, told me I had a special gift, a little _friend_ that would help both me and him. I sailed the East Blue with him for almost six years before we made for the Grand Line and met Mihawk.

"The Voice stayed with me, always urging me to fight and kill. I... I listened to it, obeyed it, until Don Luffy and Sanji saved me from the path I'd accepted. Since then, I tried my best to ignore it unless I knew I could control it or direct it: Whiskey Peak, Eneru, Enies Lobby... Those were the only times I ever gave in.

"But, the Voice is gone now. I thought that was good news, but..." He raised his eyes, glancing around at the shocked looks of his crewmates. "Chopper... What happened?"

The doctor was silent for a few moments, trying to find the phrasing needed for everyone to understand. "The damage you sustained when we fought the Warlords far exceeded any of us. We had mostly physical damage, but... I don't know what you did, but it wasn't good. The Voice you mentioned... it's still there." Gin slumped, but he did not interrupt Chopper as he pushed ahead. "The trauma you experienced has somehow caused this Voice to manifest itself into another personality altogether, one that acts while you're asleep. It... It tried to attack Amy and Grace last night."

A heavy silence weighed down on the crew at that revelation. None of them knew what to think. Gin was Gin to them, but this information was nothing less than disturbing.

"Don Luffy, I-"

"No." Luffy stared at the Logia, his gaze serious.

"But-"

"I said no. Captain's order. You're not leaving us because of some stupid Voice taking over your body. We'll find some way around this. Guys?" The Captain glanced around at his crew.

"I'll get to work on his hammock," Franky nodded. "It should _super_ hold him still."

"I'll start work on some booby traps to wake him or us up if it gets out," Usopp nodded.

"I'll help you, Uncle Usopp!" Merry added.

"I'll make my paints stronger than ever!" Grace promised.

"And I'll dig through my books," Chopper finalized. "There might be some medication that can keep the Voice at bay."

"E-Everyone," Gin sniffed. "Why... Why would you go so far for me?"

"You're one of us, Gin," Robin smiled. "You're a Straw Hat Pirate, and we take care of our own."

Gin would deny it until the end of time, but he absolutely cried... until Robin finished.

"Besides, if we did not, then tonight you would rampage through our ship, possibly killing most, if not all, of us and ending our journey prematurely."

"Robin!"

"Baaahahaha!" Merry laughed, clapping her hands in a way that attracted the others' attentions. "Funny as that is, we should have a better name than 'Alternate Gin'."

"Why not Rum?" Amy offered. Gin sent her a questioning glance. "Your name might be pronounced 'Geen', but it's spelled 'G-I-N' like the alcohol. Rum is alcohol, but very different."

Gin shrugged. "Sure. Why not? And... thank you all."

* * *

 **(Unknown Location - Grand Line)**

BADA-BADA-BADUP... BADA-BADA-BADUP... BADA-BADA-BADUP...

The first mate of the pirate group almost missed the sound of their den-den mushi ringing on account of the _fiesta_ the rest of the crew were enjoying. How his brother, the captain, could nap with such noise confused him, but he was grateful. Should something wake his brother while in the middle of one of his _siestas,_ someone would not have a good day.

BADA-BADA-BADUP... BADA-BADA-BADUP... CA-LICK

 _"Hola. Quién estás?"_

"Is this the Amigo Pirates?" the tired voice on the other side of the snail asked.

"Sí," the man answered. "Who is this?"

"Am I speaking to Captain Largo?"

"No. Ze _capitán_ is indisposed at ze moment." He paused, turning to the fiesta happening in the rest of their submarine. " _¡_ _Silencía, idiotas!_ " The men quieted, all staring at their Vice-Captain as he turned back to the snail. "Zis is _Vice-Capitán_ Corto speaking on 'is behalf."

"Very well," th snail sighed. "I've called to inform you that Captain Shiki has decided to accept you into his alliance as the fifty-first division. Congratulations."

"It's about time."

"But," the snail continued, halting the men before they could resume their _fiesta._ "There is a condition that must be met before you can officially join. A mere formality, you see."

" _¿Un conditión?_ " a new voice asked, a man with a guitar rising from a rope hammock to stare at the transponder snail. "Do tell."

"It's a simple retrieval mission. Make your way to Kansorn Island."

 **End of Chapter 107**

* * *

 **Do any of you have fan theories about what happened to Gin? Where I should go with that? I'd love to hear then!**

 **Until next time, hopefully not too long!**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	110. A Little Slice of Home

**Hi, all. It's been a while, hasn't it? Ten weeks or so, right? I'm afraid I only have three chapters prepped for this pre-movie arc, but when you work hard and play harder at camp for an entire summer, you don't watch a lot of movies, much less rewatch any to rewrite them. Still, y'all deserve something after a break like that, so here is the Little East Blue Arc!**

 **A little warning. This first part might be a bit _steamy_ for some people. Read at your own risk...**

 **Chapter 108:**  
 **A Little Slice of Home**

"Uh, uh, uh," Grace grunted, sweat dripping from her forehead as she pushed herself, the room around her having steadily risen in temperature. Her pink hat, red jacket, and yellow shoes were thrown off to one side of the crow's nest, having been left there since the beginning of her exertion. Now, her purple tank top clung to her body, soaked in almost and hour's worth of sweat. Each noise she made was accented by the sound of her flesh striking over and over.

"That's it, Grace," Coby urged, meeting each of Grace's movements. His shirtless form shone with the sweat from the hot room, little drops of the stuff sliding down the crevices of muscles honed from months of training. A tan vest and light blue shirt of his was thrown next to Grace's discarded clothing, his swords, and her paints. "Come on! Harder! Can you feel it?"

"It hurts!" Grace exclaimed through her panting. "We've been at this for almost an hour! I'm ready to drop!"

"Do you have a paint for killing pain?"

"Pain-Killer Purple," Grace answered, a particularly hard hit making her flinch. "I don't, _huh,_ think it would work for, _huh,_ this with the amount of sweat. It'd probably get, _huh,_ washed away."

"But you've gotten better since we started," Coby pointed out. "Remember the first time we did this? You didn't last ten minutes."

"And I'm still sore from that," Grace complained, shifting her legs. "Why did I agree to this?"

"We're almost done," the male insisted. "Just a little more... almost there..."

Grace groaned as she reached her end. Her shaking legs gave out beneath her, making her collapse. Coby caught her gently, making sure she didn't fall to the floor. Grace panted, her breaths coming in great heaves.

"I think that's enough for now," Coby commented, his own breathing a little heavy. "That was a good round. Relax for a while." Grace was still for a minute, trying to catch her breath and waiting for her body to stop trembling. Finding her footing, Grace shuffled to her clothing, her muscles clearly aching from the unfamiliar trails they'd just gone through. "You're getting more used to it."

"I wish you didn't have so much stamina," Grace moaned, rubbing her abdomen. "I can barely stand and my stomach hurts so much, I don't know if I'll be able to eat anything at dinner." Coby paled.

"Sanji can't know about this," he said with a tinge of worry. "If he knew what I was putting you through, he'd kick me from here to the East Blue and back." Grace giggled at the horrified look on the rosette's face as she dropped her hat on her head and tossed him his vest. She pat her navy-colored tights which rubbed against her legs uncomfortably.

"I think he already knows," the redhead muttered, making Coby gasp fearfully. "It's not that hard to tell when we've been disappearing before coming to lunch and dinner covered in sweat. Not to mention the argument he and Zoro got into when we kicked Zoro out of here the first time."

"I'm still a little angry about that," Zoro interjected from the other side of the crow's nest, two one-hundred-pound dumbbells in his hands. "I was in the middle of something."

"We're sorry about that, Zoro-sensei," Coby replied, "but I promised to teach Grace how to fight and this was the only place I could do that without Sanji getting in the way."

They were in the crow's nest/training room so Coby could make good on his promise to train Grace in hand-to-hand combat. _Obviously._ Supervising them were Zoro, Amy, and Chopper, each for their own reasons. Amy had refused to not be present for any training Grace went through with Coby, Chopper was there in case the painter pushed herself too far, and Zoro just wanted to buff up his ego and see how his student taught. This time, Coby had had her punching padded gloves and working on her reflexes as a cool down from her earlier workout of pushups, sit-ups, and squats.

"You're improving quickly," Coby stated as Grace wandered back over, "especially since this will only be a supplementary skill for you. Only two sessions a day and you can almost push me backwards already. That's impressive, but I guess the analogy about correct angles helped a bit."

"A lot, actually," Grace responded, picking up her jacket to try to hide the blush adorning her cheeks, noticing anew the way her shirt clung to her budding curves. "When you said finding the right opening was like finding the best view for a picture, everything just kind of clicked."

"Why are they like this?" Amy moaned, the back of her head resting against the wall from where she was sitting on the floor. She was wearing bright yellow as usual, but this time it was in the form of a short-sleeved shirt and a light jacket. Covering her legs were a pair of three-quarter-length jeans. A wide-brimmed sun hat rested next to her with her parasol as the blonde fanned herself with a lemon-patterned hand fan. "Every time they end with the flirting and I don't think they even know they're doing it."

"You've certainly mellowed out about it," Zoro chuckled, his body dressed for summer weather in a Hawaiian shirt (not that they knew what a 'Hawaii' was) and dark slacks. "I remember a time when you'd've stomped over there and threatened to castrate him."

"He's... grown on me," Amy admitted. "It's hard to not like him. Anyone on this crew, really. That doesn't mean that I won't murder him if he makes the first move."

"Ha!" Zoro laughed. "That'd be the day! Let's get out of here. I'm getting hungry and the Shit Cook should've prepared something by now."

"SANJI!" Luffy's voice echoed from outside the room. "MEAT!"

"I don't know what you all were talking about," Chopper jumped in, "but I'm hungry, too!" The trio walked over to the pair of teens before the group descended the mast to the deck.

The rest of the crew seemed to have heard their captain's demand, those who hadn't been on the deck finding their way there. Brook and Usopp were fishing off the port side and, though Usopp had already pulled in, Brooks line was still out. The skeleton moved to wrap it up, but a swift tug caused him and Usopp to both grab the pole and pull.

"It's a big one!" Usopp yelled, Chopper and Luffy jumping in to try to help pull it in.

"Here it comes!" Chopper cried, a shadow beneath the water breaking the surface and flying into the air. The original crewmembers were able to identify the fish as an elephant blue-fin tuna, Sanji and Gin prepping to catch the fish as it fell.

Unfortunately, it never fell.

Before the eyes of every crewmember, a great shadow passed over the Thousand Sunny, it's owner grabbing the elephant tuna in its jaws and flying away, swallowing it whole.

"Uh..." Gin blinked. "Excuse me, but what the Hell was that?" Gin had followed Zoro in fashion for the time being, sporting a loud, pink beach shirt with green palm trees and khaki beach shorts. His tonfa were secured to a sturdy belt around his waist and one of his headbands kept his hair out of his face and his powers in check.

"It stole our food!" Sanji yelled.

"So cool!" the Kiddie Trio and Merry gasped, their eyes sparking. Merry had taken the time to fill the "little girl" role Usopp had wanted, wearing a soft, red dress that hung down to her knees with short sleeves. She had on a pair of Jean shorts underneath and Nami had loaned her a pair of gold arm bands that sparkled in the sun from her wrists. Plain beach flats rested on her feet, easily removable should she so choose. Finally, tucked behind one of her horns was a red bow that matched her dress and contrasted well with her white hair.

"No!" Coby denied, whacking Luffy in the back of the head. "Not cool! That thing just ate our fish! Don't you care, Captain?" Said thing made a u-turn, flying back toward the ship. Now that the pirates were aware of it, they were able to tell that it was a giant Hercules beetle with a brown shell and a small mane of pink hair. Flanking its massive horn were two curved tusks on either side. A white marking stood out on either side of its neck, but the pirates could not tell what it was.

"It's coming in from the front!" Franky called from his post at the wheel.

"I'm gonna make it join our crew!" Luffy declared, rushing across the grass deck to join Franky at the wheel where the big bug was headed.

"Every time," Nami moaned from a lawn chair. "Every damn time."

"Fufufu," Robin chuckled beside her, not offering any consolidation as she continued to read her book.

An the front of the ship, Luffy jumped onto Sunny's mane, staring down the approaching insect. Said insect locked eyes with him and began to glow red, the glow condensing in its horn. The beetle roared, blasting fire from its horn.

"It shoots fire?!" Luffy gasped with awe, not acknowledging the cook that jumped over him to, somehow, kick the fire away with his own flaming leg. The bug's eyes widened, the beetle pulling up. Luffy's arm stretched upward, wrapping around the base of the insect's horn and pulling him to it. The pirate captain latched onto the beetle's hard shell, said beetle attempting to shake him off without success.

"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed as the bug circled back toward the Thousand Sunny. "Join my crew, Bug!"

"Grauuooow!" the bug roared in denial, flying erratically in an attempt to dislodge its unwanted rider.

"Captain Luffy!" Coby cried, shifting into his Hybrid form.

"Don!" Gin called, reaching for his headband. The beetle rushed over the crew, Coby and Gin grabbing on as it passed. Usopp got carried along unwillingly, one of the insect's tusks snagging the back of his shirt. Merry jumped in with a big smile, grabbing the sniper's legs. The Logia's headband fell to the deck, the beetle and its five passengers shrinking into the distance.

"After them!" Nami ordered. "Toward that... island?" The navigator pointed to a small island in the distance with grey cliffs that rose out of the ocean. "When did we get close to an island?"

"Don't know," Zoro shrugged, unconcerned. "Is that our next stop?"

"It's not on the Log Pose," the captain's wife responded, "but we'll have to help them. Still..." Nami leaned over the edge of the ship to eye the waters. "Franky, activate Sunny's paddleboat feature. Judging by the currents, I'd say there are some dangerous reefs around that island."

"You got is, Sis!" Franky agreed, pulling the needed lever. "Let's go, Channel 0!"

"I hope they're alright," Grace fretted.

"Yohoho! I'm sure they will be!" Brook assured her.

"I guess I'll follow them," Amy sighed, opening her umbrella. Usopp had patched the holes that Coby's zombie had put in it on Thriller Bark before giving its propellers a tune up, so she wasn't worried about it failing on her. The blonde jumped, catching herself and floating after the quintet of rubber-man, dinosaur-person, cowardly sniper, and ship-girl that had ridden away on a giant, fire-using beetle.

...Why was that a statement she had to take seriously?

* * *

"YEEEAAAHHHWWWHHHOOOOOOO!" Luffy yelled, his feet securing him on the back of the giant beetle's shell. The other four held on for dear life, two because they couldn't swim, one because he was a coward, and the other because she didn't want to swim after them.

"AAAAAAAAAAA!" Usopp wailed, tears being snatched from his eyes by the wind as quickly as they formed. The wind pushed his legs back, allowing Merry to transfer herself from his leg to the front left leg of the beetle.

"Don!" Gin cried, clinging to the insect's back left leg. "Don Luffy! This is a bad idea!"

"I agree!" Coby voiced from the center right leg, having shrunk back into his human form.

"I don't!" Merry laughed, the air whipping her hair around her face. "This is _super_ fun! Baahahaha!"

"Captain!" Coby screamed, the island growing closer by the second. "The beetle's gonna ram that cliff!"

"Look out, Usopp!" Luffy laughed, his rubbery arm hooking onto Usopp and pulling him back just before the giant insect did just as Coby predicted. The impact jarred the pirates, all of them losing their holds on the beetle and staring to fall. Luffy would have none of that, one hand grabbing the base of the beetle's horn, which was now lodged in the cliffside, and the other wrapping around each crewmember.

"Shishishi! Up we go!" Luffy swung, dropping his four subordinates and friends on the top of the cliff before slinging himself up.

"What the Hell was that?!" Usopp demanded, grabbing the captain by the collar of his shirt and shaking him while Coby, Gin, and Merry tried to get their feet under them. "You could have killed us!"

"But we didn't die so it's all good!" Luffy argued with a smile, the sniper releasing him with a huff.

"Get away from Boss!" a young voice demanded. The pirates turned to find a little girl with choppy, dark red hair with a small, over-the-shoulder braid under a Marine cap worn backwards. A much-too-large Marine coat was draped over a pale red shirt and tan pants. She glared at the pirates with big, brown eyes, gnashing her teeth at them from the entrance to a cave in the stone behind her.

Gin blinked. "Who's the squirt?"

"Boss is with me!" Marine Girl yelled, running forward. "And he'd rather die than become a pirate!" The girl jumped, latching onto the back of Luffy's head and biting down. Luffy screamed, the roles of him and the beetle now reversed for the girl and him.

"Help me!" Luffy cried, running every which way in an attempt to get the girl off him to no avail.

"Yoko!" a man yelled, a group of people exiting the cave.

"Stay back!" the girl, Yoko, growled through Luffy's hair. "These people are pirates!"

"Pirates?!" the group gasped, most of them bowing low to the ground. "Please have mercy on us!"

"...What?" Usopp asked.

"Hold on," an old man said, the only one if the crowd to not bow before the pirates. "If I'm not mistaken, you all are part of the Straw Hat Pirates, correct?"

"No way," one member of what the pirates assumed were villagers muttered. "He's right. That's Electric Devil Gin!"

"And that pink-haired guy is Tri-Horn Coby!" another man announced.

"And the guy with curly hair, he's Long-Nose Usopp!" The sniper let out a long sigh, Merry's consoling pats ineffective due to her quiet snickering.

"And next to him! That's Ghost Ship Going Merry! The ship that became a girl!"

"Ohh!" Merry gasped, clapping. "Ghost Ship. I like that!"

"Yoko!" the old man from before ordered. "Get off that man's head! The Straw Hat Pirates are welcome here in our town!" Two men rushed forward, dragging the still-growling Marine Girl from Luffy's head.

"Give Boss back!" Yoko yelled. "He's with me! He'll never be a pirate!"

Luffy blinked, a look of understanding flashing across his face. The teen stepped to the cliff and glanced down at the giant beetle still stuck in the rock below. Without a word, he threw his hands down and pulled the beetle free, placing him by the villagers. Marine Girl ripped herself from the villagers, running to the beetle.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Luffy apologized with a smile. "I didn't know he was spoken for. I hope I didn't hurt you to badly! Shishishi!"

"Graaaww!" Boss the Beetle roared back, a red glow around him pronouncing his crookedly-bent horn.

"Hurt Boss?" Yoko scoffed. "These are just scratches! He'll be all better after sleeping underground tonight!"

"That's so cool!" Luffy, Usopp, and Merry gasped.

"You think that's cool? Boss is gonna molt tomorrow! Then he'll be even bigger and stronger than he is now!"

"Wow!" While Luffy, Usopp, and Merry spent time talking to (read "being yelled at by") Yoko until she mounted Boss and the two flew off, Gin and Coby turned to the villagers.

"Did you say we're welcome in your village?" Coby asked. "Not to be rude or anything, but we _are_ pirates. It's not often that we're welcomed so openly."

"Hahahaw!" the old man laughed. "You pirates are an exception around here! Please, follow me and I'll explain everything." Coby and Gin glanced at each other, shrugging, as the villagers led the way into the cave system. The pirates followed, entering the mountain just as Amy landed.

"What the?" she questioned. "Hey! Wait! What's going on?"

* * *

"These are some huge tunnels!" Coby awed, his eyes roving over the blue rock that made up the twisting tunnels inside the mountain.

"Indeed," Fabre, the old mayor, responded. "They don't have much use, but they're a labyrinth if you don't know your way around. Great for losing pirates that are chasing you."

"You make it sound like that happens a lot," Merry commented, walking hand-in-hand with Usopp while being cooed at by some of the villagers.

"Well, everyone here is in pretty good shape if that says anything!" Fabre laughed before turning to the captain. "Oh, tell me, are Pirate Hunter Zoro, Black Leg Sanji, and Cat Burglar Nami still with you?"

"Yeah!" Luffy smiled. "They're back on the ship!"

"Would you please call them?" the mayor asked. "Please? Have them meet us on the other side of the island, but tell them to beware of the reefs coming in. We'll explain outside of the caves."

"Oi! Amy!" the captain called, catching the blonde's attention from where she was conversing with the crew on the ship through her baby transponder snail. "Tell Nami, Sanji, and Zoro to meet us in the village on the other side of the island!"

"Why?" Nami asked through the snail.

"Don't know," Luffy shrugged, "but these guys seem cool and want to meet you!" There was no response from the snail for a few seconds before a quiet sigh.

"We'll be there in 15 minutes." Nami hung up, prompting Luffy to turn back to Fabre.

"Hey, Old Guy. Do you all have any meat?"

"Of course we do!" the old mayor laughed. "Anything for the most famous rookies of the East Blue!"

* * *

"You want me to cook your face?" Sanji questioned, one flaming leg staining against Kitetsu III. "I don't know any recipes for moss, but I'm sure I can come up with something!"

"I'd like to see you try!" Zoro scoffed. "You couldn't cook me even if you somehow beat me! Your head's got no worth other than being a dartboard!"

"Wanna say that again?"

"I'll say it as many times as I want!"

Nami sighed, feeling a headache coming on as Zoro and Sanji bickered in the background. They were within the Thousand Sunny's docks, swordsman and cook arguing outside of Dock 2 where the Ladybug was stationed. Nami, refusing to ride with them in a small vehicle, had chosen to take her waver instead.

Leaving the angry morons behind, Nami entered Dock 1, her waver floating in a small pool of water. The door to the dock opened, allowing the navigator to hop on her transportation and zoom off.

The trip was somewhat dangerous, the captain's wife being forced to slow down the closer she got to the island on account of the reefs around the island. Zoro and Sanji left the ship in the Ladybug sometime after her, but Nami felt no responsibility for them. Hopefully, Franky had bashed it into their skulls about the importance of keeping their ship undamaged.

The front of Kansorn Island was beautiful, a crescent-shaped beach growing upwards into a green island of mismatched buildings. The beach was an almost complete circle encasing a shimmering blue bay that lacked any of the dangers from the outside reefs. A small group of people were waiting on the sand, waving banners.

"Welcome to Kansorn Island, Nami!" the crowd roared. At the front of the crowd were four boys who were literally vibrating with excitement. The letters that spelled out Nami's name were stitched into their shirts, one for each, leaving the young woman with an uneasy feeling. She sped forward, grounding her waver as the crowd surrounded her. One man, a taller fellow with dark hair, pushed his way to the front and bowed.

"Welcome to Kansorn Island, the home-away-from-home for all those from the East Blue," the man began. "Your crewmates are on their way from the cave with the mayor and his group, so let me be the first to introduce you to what we like to call Little East Blue!"

"Little East Blue?" Nami parroted. She could vaguely hear Zoro and Sanji arguing in the distance.

"That's correct," the man nodded. "See, everyone on this island came from the East Blue or was born here to East Blue residents."

"Huh," Nami blinked, taking in the surroundings. A breeze blew by, bringing the smell of growing citrus with it. "The Grand Line never ceases to amaze me. Are those tangerines I smell?"

"Indeed they are!" the tall man confirmed. "Transplanted here over 20 years ago, those trees are from Cocoyashi Village which is known for its tangerines!"

"I know that," Nami pointed out. "I'm from there."

"Nami-sama! Nami-sama!" a quartet of voices called, the group of boys pushing their way to the front. One of them, a thinner boy with brown hair, stepped ahead of the rest. "We, the members of the Ore-Nami Fan Club, want to take you on a tour of the island!"

Nami opened her mouth to decline, but sudden shouting from farther out in the bay caused her to glance back at where the Ladybug was drawing closer, the two men arguing at the top of their lungs.

"Sure," she answered with a fake smile, turning away from the bay. "Lead the way." The four boys nodded eagerly, leading the orange-haired woman up the hill before the swordsman and cook had a chance the land. She followed them through the crowd, shaking any hands offered to her with some confusion. Luffy had said the people of this island wanted to meet her, Zoro, and Sanji, but she hadn't expected this level of hospitality. Or a fan club for that matter.

The group of four boys and Nami reached the entrance to a cave system off to the left of the village proper just as Luffy, Coby, Gin, Usopp, Merry, Amy, and the group leading them exited.

"Nami!" Luffy smiled, reaching forward and wrapping his wife in a hug. She smiled, hugging him back. The Ore-Nami group cried in the background, mumbling something about losing their idol as if Luffy had just stolen her from them. Nami turned to the boys.

"Thank you for leading me this far," she told them, "but I think I'll stay with my husband."

"Yes, Nami-sama," the boys cried sadly. She'd only been with them for five minutes! Leaving the boys at the entrance to the caves, the group strode into the village toward a large windmill with a stone monument next to it.

"Wow!" Luffy cheered. "You guys have a windmill! Just like my home village!"

"That's so cool!" Merry gasped, stars in her eyes.

"But of course!" Fabre laughed, indicating the stone monument beside the windmill. "This windmill is something of the pride of this island, the entire thing was brought here intact from Fiusha Village on Goa island." He paused. "This island has had the luck to be only inhabited by people from the East Blue, so we've taken to calling it Little East Blue!"

"That's highly unlikely!" Coby complained. "What are the odds that everyone who settled this island would be from there?"

"Coby," Gin sighed. "Where in the world are we?"

"The Grand... Line." He paused. "Point taken."

"Luffy, get back-!" Nami stopped, her husband now climbing up the side of the windmill. Usopp just managed to stop Merry from climbing up after him. "Oh, whatever. He'll be fine."

"Anyway," Fabre cut in. "We've got sections for just about every island in the East Blue, so feel free to go track down your island kinsmen."

"I suppose a walk down Memory Lane couldn't hurt," Usopp agreed.

"I'm not from the East Blue," Amy spoke up. "What will I do?"

"You can come with me," Gin offered, his face a little pink.

"Hmm," Amy pretended to think, making Gin squirm. "I guess that works."

"Do you mind if we explore the island?" Nami asked, making Fabre shout out a deep, hearty laugh.

"Anything for the most famous rookies of the East Blue! Knock yourselves out!"

 **End of Chapter 108**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	111. Fishermen and Mountain Women

**Chapter 109:**

 **Fishermen and Mountain Women**

The Straw Hats of the East Blue split up, each to find their own biomes. Well, except for Luffy. Nami grabbed him when the windmill came down and dragged him off toward the tangerine orchard. Something about a marriage bucket list? The others, minus Amy, weren't sure they wanted to know and decided to avoid the orchard as much as possible.

Coby wandered off toward the coast, all but certain that the people of Mowan Island that were here would build there houses where they could fish easily. It was a short walk, ten minutes at most, before the rosette saw the first signs of small, thatch-roof huts that were common in his home. Each hut had a rack connected to it, most of them holding large fish to fry for preparation. One or two huts boasted an Elephant Blue-Fin Tuna, though they were by far the rarest fish to be seen. Over two dozen men and women of all ages were down by the water either in boats just off shore or shoeless in the sand and surf of the beach, each and every one with a fishing pole in hand and a line in the water.

Though he had not been to his home or practiced its traditions in well over two years, that did not mean he had forgotten them. Alvida had beaten the habits from him and, though he knew Luffy would not have prevented him from practicing his old customs, such things weren't that important away from his home island. Respect and manners were paramount for dealing with the people and fishermen of Mowan Island.

"Hello?" the Zoan called, catching the people's attention as he stopped where the grass met the sand. He bowed toward the oldest person, a woman with long, white hair. "May I have permission to enter?"

The people blinked, surprised that someone outside their number would know to ask permission to enter a beach where others were fishing. The woman eyed the pink-haired young man who remained facing the ground.

"You may enter," the woman responded, allowing Coby to raise his head. "Who are you that knows our customs and asks permission?" Coby did not answer until after slipping off his sandals and placing them on a small wooden platform where over twenty other pairs rested. It was impolite to trudge on the sand of Mowan with shoes lest you separate yourself from nature and ruin a good catch. He marched onto the sand, but kept his distance from the waves.

"I am Tri-Horn Coby of the Straw Hat Pirates," he answered, bowing once more. "I hail from the Island of Mowan within the East Blue, thus I am aware of the necessary customs."

The woman smiled and gestured to a row of poles off toward the side of the beach. "Please, Tri-Horn Coby, grab a rod and join the school collecting the bounties of the sea."

"It would be an honor, Madam, but I must decline."

"Oh? Why so?"

Slowly, Coby shifted into his Hybrid Mode. "As you can tell, I have eaten a Devil Fruit, one from which is derived my epithet. I must be careful around the ocean." He changed back. "I have given you my name, so may I know yours?"

"I am Pramilda Ikan, leader of Little Mowan. It is an honor to have you, Tri-Horn Coby."

"And it is a pleasure to be here, Madam Ikan."

"Tell me," Pramilda ordered. "Do you know the names of your parents? You seem familiar to me."

"No, Madam," Coby answered. "They died in a pirate raid when I was young. I have since forgotten their names."

"I know you," the old woman said, a flash of realization coming to her eyes. "I recognize that pink hair of yours. It belonged to your mother, Margo."

"You knew my parents, Madam Ikan?"

"I should hope so. I was the godmother to your father Roubiar." Coby almost broke posture in his shock. "I'm saddened to hear that they are gone, but it seems like you have grown into a fine young man and that's all they wanted."

"Th-Thank you, Madam Ikan."

"School of Little Mowan!" Pramilda called, pulling the attention of all fishers minus a middle-aged man wrestling with a fish on the end of his line. "Fall in! Today we celebrate the return of a wayward Mowani. Rejoice!"

"Rejoice!" the people echoed. "Rejoice!"

Coby smiled, reining his emotions, as a trio of young children, two boys and a girl, left the surf where they had been learning to fish from their parents to swarm him with questions about his crew and his life.

"Roan!" Pramilda called. "Prepare us a bountiful lunch! I'm sure Mayor Fabre will do the same in the town proper for dinner. We shall join them."

"Yes, Madam!" The man replaced his fishing rod, collected his shoes, and headed toward the small village.

"Until then, we shall celebrate here in Little Mowan and listen to the tales of our guest." She turned to Coby. "I'm sure that you, as a sailor and a pirate, have plenty of stories to share. It would be nice if you would regal us with some while we await our midday meal."

"I do and I will, Madam," Coby responded with the utmost respect that was expected when speaking to the Balena, the head of the village and typically the oldest member who could still reliably fish. "I have many stories, tales as true as I who stands before you today, though they may sound as if they were nothing but fantasy."

"We have lived here in the Grand Line for many years," Pramilda responded. "Some among us were born here on the island. There is little we would not believe."

"May I have permission to speak candidly for the purposes of storytelling?"

"It would not be a good pirate story if you removed important details for manners' sake," the Balena responded. Coby grinned.

"Then let me start with how I met the man who will become the King of the Pirates, my captain Monkey D. Luffy."

* * *

While Coby took off toward the coast, Gin and Amy headed toward the mountains, the Logia insisting that the people of his home island, if there were any, would be near there. Amy remained suspicious but, with nothing better to do, followed. They wandered through a path in the trees for ten minutes or so before the woods spit them out on a hill over what seemed like a massive camp site.

The ground, which had many patches of grassless land that was far too flat to be natural, was littered with tents the size of small houses. On average, the large tents were colored white or tan which faded to black around the entrances and at the bottom edges. Most tents were painted with various colors and designs over their doorways, but only one or two for each tent. People in grey jumpsuits walked through the tents with the ease of familiarity, waving and calling out to each other. Part of the mountain loomed on the other edge of the tented village, an entrance carved into it spitting out a single pair of train tracks.

"It feels like home," Gin muttered with a sad smile, his dark eyes roving over the numerous tents.

"I don't understand," Amy muttered. "You... People from your home island live in tents?"

"Usually," Gin shrugged, beginning his way down the hillside and into the village. "They're easier to escape and remake if an accident happens."

"What sort of accident? Hey, wait!" Amy jumped off the hill, her umbrella carrying her weightless form over the distance Gin had made between them. A group of four people; an elderly woman, two adult brunette women, and a little boy stopped their conversation at the sight of the duo entering their part of the island. The women had this gaunt palor to their skin that reminded Amy of Gin, like they were perpetually sleepy, and all of them, including the boy, had tanned skin.

"Evenin'," the old woman greeted with a heavy accent and a wave. She had greying hair on her head and wrinkles along her cheeks, but she stood with an air of confidence and wiry muscle. "Who're y'all?"

"Oh, no one, really," Gin waved off. "Just a couple of travelers looking to stay for a few hours before we have to leave."

"Oh-ho?" one of the younger women chuckled. "A couple o' trav'lers or a trav'lin' couple?" She and the other woman giggled. The little boy looked up at the woman Gin and Amy presumed to be his mother with a confused stare.

"A couple of travelers," Gin coughed through a blush. He a sent a quick glance at Amy to see that she too was red in the face.

"Stop teasin' tha poor dears," the old woman chastised the younger, causing Gin to send her a thankful smile. "Now what brings you folks 'round here? Most trav'lers stick ta the main part o' the island."

"Wanted ta see the sights," Gin began, his childhood accent starting to come back without his notice. "I've been gone a long time, years actually, an' I though it'd be a fine day ta catch up with the homefolks... I mean... Uh." He trailed off, Amy giggling from somewhere shortly behind him.

"Yer a native o' Virgio Island," the old woman deduced. "Don' try ta hide it, son. Yer speakin's comin' back. Nothin' ta be ashamed a."

"I guess," Gin coughed. "Sorry. When I left, several o' my crewmembers tried ta give me crap fer my accent, so I tried to suppress it."

"Aww," Amy cooed. "I think it sounds kind of cute in a country-bumpkin sort of way." The Electric Devil straightened, eyes wide. If he hadn't been wearing his rubber-lined headband, he would have sworn a bolt of lightning had run down his spine. The two young, native women shared a glance and giggled again. Gin cleared his throat.

"I'm Gin," he introduced, trying to keep his accent in check, "and this is Amy."

"Gin?" the boy's mother questioned. "As in tha 'Lectric Devil o' tha East Blue?"

"That's this loyal puppy dog here," Amy laughed, knocking on the side of Gin's head and ignoring his indignant "Ah'm not a puppy!". "I'm Amy Palant, the Weightless Woman."

"Ooh!" the boy gasped in wonder, hiding behind the old woman's legs.

"So the Straw Hats're really on tha island," the other young woman blinked. "Ya ain't plannin' ta rob us none, Ah hope."

"Not at all," Gin waved off. "We're here because a huge beetle attacked us an' Don Luffy wanted to recruit it. It was spoken for, though."

"Ya met Boss!" the boy exclaimed with stars in his eyes.

"Boss?" Amy asked. "You mean that beetle?" The boy nodded quickly.

"Ah haven't introduced mahself, have I?" the old lady cut in. "Ah'm Mafoulda Hopkins an' these two're mah lovely daughters Sammie an' Dannie." The women waved while Mafoulda picked up the boy. "An' this boy is mah beautiful gran'son Jason, Dannie's boy. Say hi, Jason."

"Hi, Jason!" the little boy laughed.

"So what's your specialty?" Amy asked. She jabbed a thumb at Gin. "This one hadn't said anything about his home until a couple nights ago."

"Coal an' other min'rals, mostly," Mafoulda answered. "Ya can get a whole lot from tha land iffen ya know how ta. Most o' tha men're down there now, minin' fer cookin' coal."

"Wait," Amy muttered. "You cook with direct coal?"

"Sure do!" Mafoulda chuckled at Amy's surprised face. "Gives tha food this smokey taste."

"But that's incredibly unsafe!" the blonde cried.

"Tha's why we live in tents," one of the women, Dannie, shrugged. "Virgio Island did't have tha money er means ta get other stuff, so we made do with what we got. Tents catch fire sometimes. They're easy ta remake."

"But overexposure to smoke and heat can cause your skin to..." She trailed off, finally noticing the similar skin types between Gin and the women and linking their gaunt appearances to smoke damage from escaping burning tents. "Oh."

"Ah'm gettin' tired o' standin' 'round here," Mafoulda yawned. "Come join me in mah tent. Ah'll make us some lunch."

"That sounds great," Gin agreed quickly. "Sanji's cookin' is good an' all, but I haven't had coal-smoked food in years. It'll be good ta taste it again and compare it ta dinosaur an' tha Water-Water meat from Water 7."

"Dinosaur?" Jason gasped. "Ah wanna hear 'bout that!"

"Ya can have yer storytime while Sammie an' Ah 're makin' lunch," Mafoulda urged, gesturing toward a two-story-tall tent nearby. "Come!"

* * *

"And so, with the tyrant defeated and the war over, the angels of Godland Skypia celebrated for over three days!" Coby finished his seventh story with a flourish. "We found the Devil Fruit of Eneru in Nami's tangerine orchard during the party and held onto it, but not for long. For you see, we left Skypia after grabbing all the gold we could and Conis, the angel I mentioned before, summoned a Sky Octopus for us to float down on. Little did we know that we would soon find ourselves inside the impenetrable fortress of Marine Base G-8: Navarone!" The crowd around the rosette gasped as the boy moved into his next story seamlessly.

"Did you die?" the trio of children asked, an edge of worry in their voices. The really couldn't tell if he was going to live!

"We survived the fall," Coby answered ominously, "but we soon had to abandon our ship to avoid capture. Now, Gin was still injured and we had forgotten about him in our panic, but guess what?"

"What?!" the children parroted.

"He wasn't alone on our ship." The children ooh'ed, entranced. "The marines were coming. They boarded the Merry and covered her in tape, but they didn't find Gin. See, we didn't know it at the time, but our little caravel had come to life beneath our feet!"

The children, as well as some of the adults, gasped.

"It's true, I promise you," Coby insisted to the people with doubtful looks. "The Going Merry had developed what's called a Klabautermann, a Wood Fairy born out of the bonds of love and camaraderie between its crew. Apparently, us stopping two wars together formed enough bonds that she could manifest herself into a physical, ghost-like body."

"Not quite!" a new, female voice interrupted, causing a group of adult men to screech and fall out of their chairs. "Baaahahaha!"

"Speak of the fairy and she shall appear," the Zoan chuckled, said fairy using Sanji's leg strength to flip over the food-laden table Coby had been telling the story around. She swiped a salad bowl after landing and plopped down on the edge of Coby's seat. "You were correcting me?"

"Yeah," the girl nodded. Her bouncy hair, which had the same volume and consistency of Nami and Robin's hair, drew the Mowan people's attention to the horns that curled out from her head. "I could make a body before the end of the Skypian war. It was actually the shared trauma of taking the Knock-up Stream that let me manifest." She chomped down on a celery stick from the bowl. "Though I guesh Ah'd be ahble ta do that wi' a smaller crew 'cause it wash so shcary."

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Coby chastised, nudging her off the chair. "You're as bad as Captain Luffy."

"I'll take that as a compliment!"

"Not that I'm not happy to see you, Merry," Coby began, a wheezing Usopp finally wandering into the little sub-village, "but why are you here in Little Mowan?"

"Uncle Usopp and I got tired of talking to the old woman with the fake mansion, so Captain Luffy and Mrs. Nami sent us to check in with everyone. They said the townspeople are going to have a big dinner for all of us and wanted everyone to be there!"

"That it?"

"Yeah, that's it. Now I have to track down Gin by the mountains. See ya!" Merry scarfed down the rest of the vegetables before dashing off in a white-and-red blur.

"Merry!" Usopp called, trying to run after her. "She's going to be the death of me, I swear!"

* * *

Gin and Amy sat in the tent of Mafoulda Hopkins with her daughters Dannie and Sammie Hopkins and Dannie's son Jason. The pirates had, in overlapping stories that sometimes finished each other's sentences, told their stories as members of the Straw Hat Pirates. This method of storytelling, however, had not convinced the daughters that Gin and Amy were only "a couple o' trav'lers". Nevertheless, the talking had switched to covering the traditions of Virgio Island, a place that seemed fanciful for the West Blue native.

"Woah, woah, woah," Amy muttered, her hands emphasizing her need for the others to slow down. "Let me get this straight. Women dominate your society?"

"Typ'cally," Mafoulda answered with a shrug before taking a bite out of her coal-roasted fish. "Ya see, Virgio sees it tha' tha fam'ly runs through tha women, we 'ave tha babies, ya know, so women run tha 'ouses an' 'ave tha fam'ly names."

"Tha men, on tha other 'and," Sammie put in, "'re phys'cally stronger, so they do tha liftin' an' mine work."

"That's why you never told us your last name?" the blonde demanded, rounding on Gin. "You never had one?"

"Ah never saw tha need," Gin defended, his accent thick. "Ah was a pirate. Iffin Ah got some woman pregnant, Ah'd prob'ly never meet tha kid anyway, so wha'd be tha need fer a fam'ly name?"

"You're a damn moron, you know that?"

"Ah don' see wha' that 'as ta do with anythin'. 'Sides, Ah'm not tha only one on our crew tha' don' got a fam'ly name. There's Coby an' Franky an' Brook an' the Donna did't 'ave one when she joined."

"Still," Amy huffed. "If you wanted one, I would have been willing to give you one."

"Ooh!" the young women squeed.

"What just happened?" Amy questioned nervously, turning to see a floundering and red-faced Logia.

"You 'ave no idea wha' ya jus' did, do ya?" Mafoulda asked with an amused smirk. "Off'rin' a fam'ly name is tha same as a proposal 'round here."

"What?" Amy cried, causing Dannie, Sammie, and Jason to cover their ears. "I didn't know that, so it doesn't count, right?"

"'Fraid not, dear," Mafoulda smirked. "We see it tha' it takes lots o' respect ta offer a fam'ly name, respect tha'll turn ta love. It'll stay out until this one" -she gestured to the still-shocked Gin- "accepts or denies." As she finished her declaration, Gin's eyes rolled into the back of his head and the shock knocked him out. Jason peaked out from around the table, crept up to the pirate who had fallen out of his chair, and poked him in the cheek several times. There was no reaction.

"GIIIIINNN!" a familiar voice called from outside. "AAAAAAMMMYY!"

"Dammit," the blonde hissed, Dannie covering her son's ears. "With her ears-"

"I heard that!" Merry laughed, sticking her head in the flap of the tent. "Ooh, I can't wait for Mrs. Nami and Robin to hear about this!"

"You little rat!" Amy yelled, throwing her umbrella in embarrassment. The fairy nimbly dodged. With a laugh, Merry ducked out of the tent. "Get back here!" Amy rushed out the flap, leaving the unconscious Gin with the Hopkins family.

"The live o' a pirate sure is int'restin'," Mafoulda laughed. "Sammie, why don' ya help tha' feller wake up? 'e's gonna need it. Fact, why don' we start headin' in? The Mayor's prob'ly gon throw a party or some'thin'."

Gin gurgled in his sleep.

* * *

"Baaahahaha!" Merry taunted, her speed easily faster than Amy's natural speed. The blonde, however, was not out of the race, using her powers to jump great distances toward the klabautermann. Each time she did, Merry would deftly hop out of the way and keep going, chanting. "Aaaamy and Giiiin sittin' in a treeee!"

"Get back here, boat bitch!"

"Baaaahahaha!"

The two rushed out of Little Virgio, leaving the massive tents and Gin behind as they raced into the trees. The foliage gave the Wood Fairy another advantage, the plants impairing Amy's sight and weightless abilities. Through the leaves, Amy saw Merry shoot rope from her sleeves and rocket forward out of sight. Growling, Amy lowered her body into a running position and increased her mass before shooting forward. With Amy's new density, the trees in the way between her and Merry stood no chance. Merry exited the forest just before Amy did, two trees bouncing away from her as Merry used Sanji's leg strength to jump away from the blonde's grip.

"There they are!" a voice laughed, forcing Amy's attention from the annoyance of a fairy to the rotund mayor of the island. He and the majority of the islanders, as well as most of the crew, were scattered around a buffet of all different kinds of East Blue food. "Uh, weren't you with Electric Devil Gin?"

Amy blinked.

"Crap!" she yelled, turning back toward her trail of destruction. "I'll go get him!"

"Maybe I should go," Merry offered with a smirk. "Who knows what you and Gin might get up to without supervision."

"Shut up!" Amy demanded, lunging for the girl. Merry rolled out of the way and dashed back into the forest. "Damn it!"

"Come join dah partee!" Luffy's voice ordered through a mouthful of food. Amy sighed, resigning herself to her fate of endless teasing, before turning toward the buffet. She noted the captain and Usopp sitting on a table, stuffing their mouths, while a Nami with somewhat-tousled hair talked avidly with a purple-haired woman nearby. Sanji was a couple tables down, deep in conversation with a thin, black-haired man with an extra-tall chef hat. Zoro, as usual, was as close to the beer as he could be, laughing with a thick man with a long, square chin in a karate gi. They were watching the field where children were climbing over a triceratops who was playfully throwing them off.

"Wow," the blonde muttered, walking over toward Zoro to grab a mug of booze. "Pinky's good with kids? Who knew?"

"Not that big of a surprise," Zoro chuckled. "I might have turned him into a swordsman, but he's still soft and squishy on the inside."

"If I remember right," the long-chinned man interjected, "doesn't he have a 65 million Beri bounty?"

"Sure does, and I haven't had him for even a year."

"You're teaching skills are incredible!"

"Are you going to ask for an autograph?" Amy questioned, blank-faced.

The man shook his head, a dopey, starstruck grin on his face. "I already got one!"

* * *

While the party went on below, one person on the island watched the proceedings through a handheld telescope with contempt. A notebook was splayed open beside her, the girl writing in it while talking out her reasoning to herself. She growled as she observed the people of her island laughing and dancing with the Straw Hat Pirates. So what if they were from the same sea? She'd done her research; there were members of that crew who were murderers. The Electric Devil and Nico Robin primarily, but the Pirate Hunter had killed plenty as a bounty hunter, even if his victims were wanted. The blonde had been an assassin for Goda's sake! And she wasn't even from the East Blue!

"They must have some hypnotist in their group," Yoko muttered angrily. "It's the only explanation for the old mayor and everyone else welcoming them." Her telescope roved over each pirate until settling on the orange-haired navigator. "It must be her. She's married to the captain- How do pirate marriages even work?- and the Pirate Hunter referred to her as a witch! Grrr, if Boss weren't molting, then we could take them easily!" Her scope turned on the forest as the girl with the horns appeared with a family from the tents of Little Virgio, the Electric Devil being dragged behind them from his shirt balled in one of her fists. The old woman of the group had a yellow parasol in her hands.

"I saw her before," Yoko muttered to herself. "She's a pirate, too? But she's just a girl like me! Who cares if she has a wanted poster, they must have kidnapped her! She must be so scared, having to act so happy when they've threatened her. I'll save her myself and use her testimony to proof that the Straw Hats are bad!"

Having decided on a course of action, the young girl collapsed her telescope and worked her way down the side of the cliff she had been crouched on. She had to be careful; one misstep could give her away and provoke the pirates' attack early. Planting herself behind a bush, Yoko carefully planned her route.

She couldn't let the pirates see her, especially not the captain, first mate, or the hypnotist, but she needed to get the girl away and convince her to admit what those vile pirates had done. The captain and long-nosed pirate were still stuffing their faces- an attempt to destroy the island's food stores, no doubt- but they were sure to still be on the lookout for her. The captain's wife was covering her husband's back, pretending to laugh with a purple-haired woman who lived near the Cocoyashi Tangerine Orchards. The witch was weedling information out of her judging by the map the pirate was drawing. Between her line of sight and the captain's, they really limited her chances, but the odds didn't matter!

The Pirate Hunter, the blonde, the Electric Devil- he had to be faking his unconsciousness- and their hostage were by the beer kegs with the dojo's owner and the Virgio family, but it looked like the girl was making an attempt to leave. Yoko had to admit that the white-haired girl was an amazing actor, she punched the Electric Devil, saying something that made the Pirate Hunter laugh and the blonde woman grab the parasol and swing at her. She ducked under it, the umbrella hitting the Pirate Hunter and forcing him to spill his beer all over himself. The girl faked a laugh and started making her way through the taller adults to the buffet where the captain was.

This was the chance Yoko had been waiting for. The pirates' views of their hostage would be obscured by the islanders. A quick glance told her that Tri-Horn Coby had turned away briefly, prompting Yoko to dart out from her hiding place and race toward the horned girl. A hand covered her surprised gasp- Yoko couldn't blame her for her shock at the sudden rescue- and the native began dragging her off.

"Shh," Yoko hissed in her ear, thankful for the indistinct chatter the adults were providing around them. "I'm here to rescue you."

The pirates' hostage's wide eyes sent her a look of confusion. The poor thing must have been hypnotized so much, she'd started to forget her capture. Still, she became silent like Yoko had wanted, but the brief exchange had caused her to lose sight of where she was going. The two girls bumped into someone and Yoko bit back a curse when she looked up into the eye of the pirates' cook, the only one who didn't have a wanted poster. She'd written him off as a non-combatant and forgotten all about him!

"Oh, Merry," he said with a blink... wink? "It's good to see you're making friends your age. A proper young lady like you shouldn't be spending so much time with people like Moss Head. Such things are sure to ruin your mind."

"What was that, Shit Chef?!" the Pirate Hunter yelled from across the party. "It's better Merry's spending time with me over you! You'd try to turn her into a perverted lump like you!"

"What!" the long-nosed man jumped in.

This was far too much attention for her plan. Yoko needed to get out with her rescued victim now. She carefully inched her way toward the caves while the three men argued, pulling the girl, Merry, along. The two had just excited the party, Yoko tucking them behind a tree, when a blast of fire exploded from farther down the open field. Worried, Yoko relaxed when she saw that none of the islanders were anywhere close to where the chef, first mate, and Long-Nose were fighting.

"Step right up and place your bets, folks!" the witch's voice called. She must be a witch for her voice to have that much power and reverberation. "Who's going to win this showdown? We've got 2-1 odds for both 'Black-Leg' Sanji and 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro as well as 100-1 odds for the sniper 'Long-Nose' Usopp!"

"Why are my odds 100-1?!"

Yoko turned her attention away from the fight and removed her hand from the mouth of the other girl. She was shaking, probably out of relief from finally being away from those murderous pirates.

"You're safe," Yoko began. "You're under mine and Boss' protection now. Those villains can't hurt you any more. Are you alright?" Merry opened her mouth to answer, but Yoko forged ahead before she could get a word out. "I know you're probably still shaken up from the fear and that woman's hypnosis, but you don't have to be afraid of me, alright? Now tell me what those pirates have done to you so I, _we,_ can expose them for who they are and drive them off the island!"

Merry stared at her for a second, her eyes blinking slowly, and Yoko wondered if the broken hypnosis had made her miss what she'd said. The native opened her mouth to repeat her request, but the girl threw her head back and started laughing, catching her off guard.

"BAAAHAHAHA! BAAAAAAAHAHAHA!"

"What are-?" Yoko muttered before she had a flash of understanding. "Oh, I get it. You're laughing so you don't cry from hysteria, right? Just let it out." She patted the girl on the shoulder. Merry didn't react for half a minute, her hysterical laughter dying away to leave tears in her eyes. The white-haired girl wiped them away with the back of her hand, prompting Yoko to push ahead.

"Your name is Merry, right? Or was that a name those pirates gave you?"

"No." She shook her head. "My father gave me my name."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Yoko, but I think you knew that. How old are you, Merry?"

"I don't really know."

"Where are you from?"

"Syrup Village on Gecko Island."

"Just like the Old Lady from the mansion," Yoko nodded along.

"That's... not a mansion," Merry offered hesitantly. "It's not the mansion from Syrup, either. My aunt owns that and my dad works for her."

Yoko looked down at that information and started scribbling in her notebook, muttering to herself. "Kidnapped from Syrup Village for ransom. Probably was not paid." She turned back to her interviewee. "How long have you been with the Straw Hats?" she bit out.

"Almost a year now." Merry froze as Yoko hugged her out of the blue.

"I'm so sorry, but I promise you, their time has come and with you as a witness, we can drive them off of Little East Blue and get you back to your dad!"

"Why?" Yoko's enthusiasm ground to a halt at the simple question. Was Merry still under hypnosis? She released the hug and stared Merry in the eye.

"Because those bastards kidnapped you! We have to show the island what they've done!"

"They didn't kidnap me. Dad gave me to them."

"What?!" Yoko began writing as quickly as she could. "Witch's hypnosis is strong enough to break familial ties." She looked up. "Don't worry, Merry. I'll save you from this Hell."

"Uh, thanks? ...You do know I'm with them of my own free will, right?"

"Impossible! No child would want to be on a pirate ship!"

"Captain Luffy did. All his life for the most part. Uncle Usopp, too, though that's because his father is a pirate."

"Did you just call one of the pirates 'uncle'?"

"Uh, yeah?"

Yoko turned back to her notes. "Brainwashing apparent. Has been forced to play in one of the pirate's twisted fantasies."

"I can hear you," Merry deadpanned. "Yoko, you need to know something. There's a reason I'm traveling with the Straw Hat Pirates."

"I know. They kidnapped you!"

"Not at all!" Merry laughed. "See, I'm not human. These horns?" She gestured to the ram-like horns poking out from her hair, knocking on one. "Totally real. I'm a klabautermann, the spirit of a ship."

"Impossible!" Yoko denied. "Plenty of weird things exist on the Grand Line: Giants, Long-Arms, Long-Legs, and Devil Fruits. But ships coming to life? I don't believe it. Besides, the figurehead on their ship is a sunflower!" Yoko stood triumphant, as if that argument had disproved everything Merry claimed.

"I'm not Sunny," Merry chuckled. "She's way bigger than I was. I'm the spirit of their first ship, the Going Merry. That's me, the East Blue caravel that survived on the Grand Line... until Water 7, that is." Merry shrugged, pulling a small, wooden heart out from under her dress. "This is what's left of my original body."

"Then what are you?" Yoko demanded. This girl couldn't be telling the truth, but for a story like that to come from hypnotism of any kind...

"Mmm," the Wood Fairy hummed, tucking the heart back where it came from. "Good question. I've been talking to Chopper about that. So far we think I'm like a poltergeist. You know, a ghost that can touch stuff?"

"Aren't those supposed to be evil?" Yoko questioned.

"More mischievous," Merry answered with a so-so hand gesture. "I guess it works. I did scare the piss out of some marines that second time I manifested." She chuckled at the memory of Navarone. "Anyway, I'm like a mixture of the whole crew from back then. Mostly the first seven since I started waking up after Reverse Mountain, but still. Trust me when I say this: the Straw Hats aren't bad people. We just... don't like rules."

"So... you're not a hostage?"

Merry laughed again, her tone almost mocking as she took amusement from Yoko's confusion. She moved to answer, to say that she was the personification of the Straw Hats themselves, but a different kind of explosion sounded from the field.

" _¡Hola, Hijos de Putas!_ Bring out ze beetle and no one will die!"

 **End of Chapter 109**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	112. ¡Hola, Amigos!

**I would like to apologize early to any of my fans who actually know any Spanish. All I have to go on is two outdated high school Spanish classes and Google translate, so I'm sure some or most of the Spanish in this chapter is inaccurate. _I'm so sorry._**

 **Chapter 110:**  
 **¡Hola, Amigos!**

The pirates enjoyed the party the villagers of Little East Blue had thrown for them until a massive explosion tore through their conversations. All attention was dragged toward a stout man in luchador clothing, said man duel-wielding a pair of giant, five-barreled miniguns. Behind him in a single file line were mariachi-dressed men, each with a rifle aimed at the islanders.

" _¡Hola, Hijos de Putas!_ " the man in the front called. "Bring out ze beetle and no one will die!"

There was no movement after his declaration, the shock holding the natives in place. The man seemed disappointed at the lack of response. His eyes narrowing at the islanders, his swapped out his minigun on one hand for four shakers. He tossed them into the air, unexpected force sending the percussion accessories flying out toward the beach where they exploded into a plume of fire and smoke.

The islanders jumped at the sonic boom the explosion caused, part of a sign falling from the sky along with with a frying pan. It could have said BA or RA, but there was no mistaking the blue-on-yellow of Little East Blue's replica Baratie, the main causality of the bombs.

A man in chefwear by the name of Mitsuboshi stared at the rubble as if it were a slain child, his feet carrying him beside it. He fell to his knees and cradled the singed wood, several tears leaking from his eyes before they were suddenly replaced with rage. He grabbed the frying pan and launched himself at the attacking band.

"Hey, wait!" Sanji tried, but it was too late. A single grunt turned his gun on the chef and fired, lodging a bullet in the native's shoulder. The force sent him sprawling, grasping at the wound as blood stained his white shirt. Sanji ran up to him, checking over his health with what little first aid Chopper had drilled into each of the pirates.

"Now that I 'ave your _attentión_ and that ze distraction 'as been dealt with, _¡hola, víctimas!_ You are now under siege by ze notorious Amigo Pirates! You 'ave two _optiones!_ Either you bring us ze giant beetle, or we kill one of you every five minutes until you do! Or until you're all dead. Honestly? I don't care either way. _¡No me importa!_ "

"How dare you!" a human Coby yelled. "You better beat it off this island before we beat you off!"

"Oh?" the man chuckled. "Look at this, boys! This _ni_ _ño_ _rosado_ has the balls to call us out!" Several of the grunts laughed.

"Who are we dealing with, Shrimp?" Zoro yawned from the middle of the crater-filled field he, Sanji, and Usopp had been fighting in. Usopp bravely cowered behind him, his slingshot Kabuto aimed at the attacking pirates.

"That's Corto of the Amigo Pirates," Coby stated, the named man stumbling in surprise. "These guys would be more than enough for this peaceful island if we weren't here, but it looks like their captain is missing. Between Corto here and his brother Largo, their crew only has 65 million to its name."

"Eh, not worth my time," Zoro shrugged, much to Corto's ire. "You can take them, Shrimp. They add up to your bounty anyway. Now someone get me a drink."

" _¿Quién crees que eres, bastardo?_ " Corto demanded. "Who do you think you are to challenge us?"

"Hey, Coby," Luffy interjected. "You wanna take these guys? They're distracting me from my meat and ruining our party."

"Why not?" the rosette shrugged as he began marching toward the pirates. "I wouldn't mind a test of my skills."

"Not without me, you aren't!" Merry called, rushing out from behind a tree. Yoko stumbled after her, crying "No don't! You'll get yourself killed!"

"Hey, Merry," Coby greeted, meeting the girl's fist with his own. "You want the grunts or Short And Ugly?"

"I'm right here!" Corto yelled.

"My last fight was a one-on-one," Merry responded. "I don't mind trying my luck against the grunts."

Corto's anger shifted to satirical humor, the man throwing his head back to laugh. "Hahaha! This is ze best this island can throw at us? Two little children? _Eso es decepcionante._ "

"I don't know what you just said," Coby admitted, "but I feel insulted."

"He called us disappointing," Merry offered. "Robin knows a language similar, so I can understand it well enough, too." She turned the pirates. " _¡Oi, chico! ¡Tu madre era un hámster y tu padre olía a saúco!_ "

"What did you say about _me madre?_ I'll skin you alive!"

"Change of plans," Coby shrugged. "Have fun!" He transformed into his Dino Mode and charged the line of mariachi men before they could react, crushing a half-dozen into unconsciousness before the others could ready their weapons. Corto didn't seem to care about that, his eyes fixed the white-haired girl who had insulted his parents.

"Eat lead, _puta!"_ he yelled, his five-barrel shotguns whirling into action. Merry rolled out of the way, the ground she had been standing on exploding behind her.

"Merry!" Usopp gasped, moving toward the battle. Zoro stopped him by grabbing his shoulder.

"She's a big girl and a pirate, Usopp," he said, taking a mug of ale from a villager who offered it. "Let Merry fight her own battles."

Merry danced around Corto's bullets, rope falling endlessly from the sleeves of her red dress. Realistically, Merry should not have been able to carry that much rope without anyone noticing, a fact made evident by the dropped jaws of the islanders, but Merry's ball of rope continued to grow until it was half her size.

Corto began to sweat a little from a combination of the heat of his guns and the intimidation factor of a little girl swinging around the equivalent of a giant flail of ship rope. The klabautermann rushed forward, her lean form dodging each volley of ammunition her opponent threw at her. A couple of bullets shot through Merry's ball of rope, but its fibers were too dense for the projectiles to do any real damage.

 _"Meirda!"_ Corto cursed, the barrels of his guns glowing red. He was forced to stop his assault by the overheat of his weapons, but this only gave Merry an advantage.

"Gordian's Knot!" she yelled, spinning around to smash her woven weapon into Corto's side. He let out a cry as the ball bashed him to the right, laying him flat over a trio of downed mariachis.

"That hurt, bitch," the luchador growled, pushing himself to his feet in a showing of resilience. "I don't know who you think you are, but _así que ayúdame_ , I will kill you for getting in our way."

"I just knocked you around like a piñata," Merry rebuffed with a smirk. "Do you really think I'm scared of a one-trick pony like you?" She paused. "Wait, I'm sorry. I misspoke. One-trick phony!"

Coby barked out a laugh from somewhere to Merry's right, his humor overtaking the sound of a grunt's grunt of pain.

"Grrr," Corto growled, lowering his weight to charge. He did just that, his guns still glowing as he rushed forward faster than Merry expected. Suddenly worried, Merry pulled her ball-of-rope between them as a shield. Corto slammed into it without time to dodge. His hands all but stuck in the rope, the glowing barrels making the surrounding fibers blacken and smoke. Corto noticed this just as a small flame bloomed into existence and began eating away at the Gordian Knot. Scowling, Corto kicked the now-burning wrecking ball back toward its origin.

"Shit!" Merry cursed, diving out of the way.

"Language!" Usopp demanded, Zoro whacking him in the back of the head.

The ball rolled past the klabautermann, bumping into a table. Coming out of her roll, Merry glanced back. She was ready to take control of of her weapon again, but the tablecloth next to it caught fire, the heat between it and the rope making the fire between them leap up. Her brow furrowed as Corto laughed.

"Hahaha! _¿Y ahora qué?_ What will you do now, girl?"

"Coby! Switch!"

"Aye!"

Large he may be, but Corto was no novice when it came to fighting. Therefore, he was not caught off guard by the stampeding dinosaur that tried to tackle him. As Coby sped past, the luchadore breathed out an instinctual _"olé,"_ the word getting out just before the Cretaceous creature batted him with his tail.

"I'm getting real tired of this," Corto muttered as he rubbed his sore stomach, Merry running past him to deal with his remaining lackeys. Coby twisted around, transitioning smoothly from four to two feet as he changed into his Hybrid Mode.

"So am I," Coby responded, unsheathing his swords from a crouched position. "'Ten Barrel' Corto of the Amigo Pirates, wanted for 28 million Beris. You're nothing compared to our crew."

"And why is that, brat?"

"You don't know who are are, do you?" Coby questioned, ducking as an unconscious mariachi flew over his head. "Let me spell it out for you. That girl you were fighting? She's 'Ghost Ship' Going Merry, wanted for 15 million, and she has the lowest bounty of everyone in our crew. Last we heard, the rest of us range from 20 and 300, our top three bounties are over 100 million." The blood drained from Corto's face. "We're the Straw Hat Pirates, and you're getting on our bad sides." Coby charged forward, punching Corto before he could raise his guns.

While Corto went one way, Merry came back from the other, trapped in a net of thorns, stems, and roses.

" _Hijo de puta_!" she cursed as she hit the ground, the thorns digging into her back. Scowling, she ate her way through the net, wincing at the points. The man that had put her in the net stood next to the downed form of Corto, frowning.

The man seemed to personify length, every part of him naturally stretched. He was tall and thin with a long, pointed chin. Beneath his long nose was a thin mustache and upon his dark hair was a large blue sombrero. His clothing matched that of Corto and a large guitar was slung across his shoulder. He hummed sadly, strumming his guitar.

" _Mi hermano pobre_ ," the man sniffed. "My poor, poor brother. Whoever could have done this to you? Your sad, sad state is leaving me melancholy." His face suddenly twisted into a snarl as his strumming stopped, one foot kicking Corto in the side. "Get up, you fool. We don't have time for this."

"Y-Yes, Bro!" Corto whimpered, rolling over and pushing himself to his feet.

"I'm not sure he knows what 'melancholy' means," Coby muttered. Off in the distance, Robin shivered, growing angry over the misuse of words. She wasn't quite sure why.

"Oi, Coby," Merry grunted. "Who's this clown?"

"Pointed chin and context clues say this is Captain Largo of the Amigo Pirates. He's wanted for 37 million and has a Devil Fruit."

"You don't say?" Merry snarked, gesturing to the net she had eaten her way out of. "So 28 and 37, right? That's 65 in total." She smirked. "Now they have a chance against one of us."

"Let's not get cocky," Coby warned, eyeing the brothers who did the same in return. "Captain Luffy has beaten enemies with bounties far higher than his own. These two could simply be underestimated by the Marines."

"Who cares about that?" Merry smirked. "If they can take us on, then they might be worthy of fighting Uncle Usopp and Chopper on even ground. Besides, you and I haven't pulled out the big guns, yet."

"Speaking of guns, move!" The rosette and the fairy dove to opposite sides, bullets from Corto's guns ripping apart the ground. His guns chased them, each hand following one of their paths. Largo smirked at this and downed a pitcher of boiling water (where he got it was a mystery).

 _"Agua Caliente_ Net!" Quickly, he spat out a net of steaming water at Coby who vanished with a cry of "shave!" The young man blurred, one grey-green fist all but materializing in Largo's gut. The pirate captain wheezed, the sound catching Corto's attention.

"Big Bro, are you alright?" the shorter man asked, forgetting their other adversary. Merry took this break in the bulletstream to pivot on her feet and charge Corto.

"Three Point Carve!" she yelled, roundhouse kicking his face, bending down to kick up into his gut, and then slamming her horns into his chest. Corto let out a gasp, the air knocked from his lungs by the blow. Unfortunately, Corto was made of sterner stuff than Merry had though, the pirate bearhugging the girl before she could get out. He squeezed.

"Aaahh!" Merry fake screamed before smirking. "Poof." She dissolved, leaving behind nothing but clothes and rope piled over a wooden heart.

" _¿Qué?_ " Corto demanded. He'd never squeezed someone into nonexistence before.

 _"Sorpressa, cabrón,"_ Merry's voice hissed with venomous delight, her form rematerializing within her clothing. She jumped upward, her horns making contact with Corto's chin. The blow gave him whiplash, the sudden force rolling his eyes into the back of his head. He crumpled, Merry standing over his form and doing a mocking victory dance as rope slithered out of her clothing to tie up Corto. She managed to just finish as a metal net with small needles encircled her, knocking her off and out of the fight. "Not again, dammit!"

"Merry!" Coby called, his swords deflecting a similar net as the one that trapped the klabautermann. Largo glared at the young man he was fighting and spat a net of mucus at him. The rosette blurred with a cry of "Shave!" and reappeared far to his right. Largo shot another net at him. And another. And another. The cycle repeated, nets of various substances slowly overtaking the natural ground and limiting where Coby could stand. Finally having enough, Coby cut through the next net of plant and thorns.

"Shave: Unseen Disaster!" Largo didn't have time to react, the flat sides of each of Coby's swords impacted each side of his head. The rival pirate's head rung, the trauma dropping him like a sack of potatoes.

The islanders rejoiced as the party renewed itself with full swing. Though Largo seemed to be unconscious, his nets remained solid, leaving Merry stuck in her painful containment. That wouldn't last long as Usopp rushed over, the girl he'd all but claimed as a daughter dissolving once more. The sniper reached into the net with reckless worry. The needles on the net stabbed his fingers, drawing blood but not deterring him in the slightest. He pulled Merry's Heart and clothing from the net, allowing the girl to reform herself again. Fully aware of Yoko watching, Merry flung her arms around the pirate's neck with a cry of "Uncle Usopp!"

Yoko watched the battle and the resulting celebration with mixed feelings. It was nice that Merry wasn't hurt at all and the attacking pirates were easily defeated, but her pirate stigma, the one thing she had trusted most in the world, was slowly crumbling.

Sure, the thought had crossed her mind that the Straw Hats were still biding their time before their attack, but that brought up the question of why they would go through such lengths to defend the island first. Wouldn't it be easier for them to to have let the Amigos run wild and steal the plunder later? And Merry had made it clear that the Straw Hats weren't the "plunder and raid" type of pirates, something Yoko wasn't sure she believed or not. It was all to confusing!

"Why are you doing this?" she blurted, her voice causing the party to come to a screeching halt. "Why did you protect us?"

"Cause you were nice to us and we wanted to," Luffy answered after a moment's pause, two legs of meat in his hands. "Guys like that aren't real pirates. They're just assholes. Real pirates do what they want for the adventure, not for treasure."

"I- but-" Yoko stammered. "That doesn't make any sense!"

"Don't think about it too much," Nami insisted as Usopp, Merry, and Coby returned. Merry separated from the bunch, grabbing Yoko's arm and leading her away.

"I'm gonna talk with Yoko!" she called over her shoulder. "Be back later!"

"Have fun!" Luffy called as the two girls vanished into the trees only a minute before Boss the Beetle, larger and more powerful than before, landed on the hillside, his battle cry shifting to a confused rumble when no challenge appeared.

"Oh hey, Beetle," Luffy laughed. "Let's fight!"

* * *

The first seven members of the Straw Hat Pirates waved at the island in the distance, Little East Blue becoming a spot in the distance. The rest of the crew, sans Merry and Amy, watched on with confused smiles. The weren't quite sure what had happened, but they felt like they'd missed something.

 **End of Chapter 110**

* * *

 **Read and Review**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	113. The Golden Lion

**I finished the last chapter of this arc just minutes before uploading this chapter! I don't know when I'll finish Sabaody, but I've got _seven whole chapters_ of this movie, so let's go!**

 **On another note, I found out this story is on the "recommended stories" page on TVtropes! What an honor! I don't expect y'all to, but it'd be great to have some reviews there or wake up one day to see that I have a TVtropes page. That's, like, the _goal_ of a lot of fanfic writers. It's not my true goal (I get more smiles knowing people enjoy my work), but that would feel like... I guess validation of my ability? I'm not sure, but it'd feel good.**

 **I've kept you long enough. On to the chapter!**

 **Chapter 111:**

 **The Golden Lion**

"This is the life!" Amy sighed from the shade of her parasol, Sanji on his knees next to her as she took a glass of freshly-squeezed hard lemonade from the tray in his hands. She was wearing a yellow sundress and the lemon earrings she had worn as a member of Baroque Works. Robin, under her own umbrella, muttered an agreement around the straw in her own drink. Grace sat in the sun by the opened pool, the dark picture of a crumbling Thriller Bark at odds with the cheery weather. She was dressed in a bright blue shirt with red spots, green pants, and hiking boots. Brook played his violin somewhere behind them, the music playing over the sounds of battle from the observatory.

Currently up there were Zoro, Gin, Coby, and Merry in a free-for-all duel. As some of the crew below watched, Merry was blasted out of the now-vertically-revolving windows (Franky was tired of replacing the broken ones). She was wearing a red tank top and khakis under a jean jacket. The ship-girl flailed in the air for a moment before launching a rope out of her sleeve, the rope tying itself around the flagpole and pulling Merry around. Directing her own momentum, the horned girl spun around the outside of the observatory before reentering via the opposite window as a blade on her wrist cut through the rope.

"Thank Goda that Usopp's not here right now," Nami muttered, walking over from where she had been checking the giant Log Pose set next to the steering wheel with Luffy. "Can you imagine what his reaction would be to seeing Merry pull a stunt like that?"

"Kyahahaha!" Amy laughed. "He'd have shit himself with worry before climbing the mast to try to protect her! I really don't know what they're doing inside on a day like this after dealing with Thriller Bark."

"I mean, it has been almost two weeks now," Nami defended, running her left hand up her right arm. She frowned, feeling goosebumps, as Gin was knocked from the crow's nest with Coby planting both feet in his stomach. Gin pulled his headband free, allowing him to explode into lightning before the two crashed to the grass. Coby managed to roll away his momentum as Gin materialized behind him. Coby had dug through his wardrobe to find the triceratops shirt he had worn on Water 7 and had paired it with red shorts. Gin was more covered, dressed in jeans and a long-sleeve shirt of tan color.

"We've got a problem!" Usopp yelled, running on deck with Chopper hot on his heels. The sniper waved a newspaper in the air until Luffy snatched it from him and handed it over to his wife.

"Thank you, Luffy," Nami nodded, pecking him on the cheek. "Now let's see here..." She froze, her eyes scanning the headline over and over without comprehending.

 **DANGER**

 **THE DEADLY MYSTERY OF DISAPPEARING TOWNS**

"Oh no," Nami whispered, Luffy's shocked face reading the article over her shoulder.

"What is it, Donna?" Gin questioned. The sounds of fighting from above stopped, Merry probably having picked up the dark emotions below. She and Zoro poked their heads out of the window.

"There's been an attack on the East Blue," the navigator announced, freezing all motion on the ship. "Several islands have been completely destroyed, and the most recent one had people on it. The Marines say each island was hit by a meteor, but it's too deliberate to be an accident. Luffy?"

Both Nami and the rest of the crew turned to look at their captain, his face uncommonly serious.

"Our turf is in the East Blue," he began, referencing the home islands of their East Blue members, "but I don't think the asshole behind this cares about that."

"There are fourteen of us on the crew," Amy thought aloud. "Of that, seven are from the East Blue. That's half of us."

"Yohoho!" Brook chuckled reflexively. His purple ascot around his neck now bore the stitched pattern of a skull with an afro and a purple cane. "What shall we do, Captain?"

"Our adventure can wait," he finally decided. "This attack on our home can't. Nami, set a course for the East Blue."

"Right away, Captain," Nami answered as the first members brightened at the thought of going home. As they did so, a great shadow covered the ship. Looking up, the crew could see nothing of the sun behind a literal floating island.

"Woah!" Luffy and Chopper gasped, their eyes-turned-stars staring up at a monolithic ship literally flying above them. It was monstrous, the hull made of what looked like the top of a mountain that had been broken off and flipped upside down. A row of long oars stuck out of each side, propelling the flying ship through the air. On the top was a large, square building.

"That should be impossible!" Franky gasped.

"This is the Grand Line," Robin responded.

"I don't give a shit if it should be possible or not!" Nami cut in as her goosebumps returned. "There's a hurricane coming ahead of us! We need to move!"

"We can't just leave them!" her husband argued, jumping up onto the figurehead of the ship and waving at the flying vessel with both hands. "HEEEEEY! HEEEEEEEEYYY!"

"There's no way they can hear you, Don!" Gin offered from the deck. "The odds of that-!" Gin stopped himself at the sight of a small, gold and orange conch shell floating over to the ship to rest in Luffy's hands. "Is that...?"

"It's a Tone Dial," Usopp nodded. "I guess it would be easy to get to Skypia with a flying ship."

"Here, Nami!" Luffy called, passing the shell to her. She caught it nimbly, raising it to her mouth and pushing the button on the top. "Turn hard to port! There's a spontaneous hurricane coming dead ahead!" Finishing her message, she threw the shell back to her lover and turned to the rest of the crew. "You all got that, right? Move it!"

"Yes, ma'am!" they cried, everyone but Luffy moving immediately. The captain turned back to the flying ship, waving the shell at it. The conch tugged at his arm a little before he let go, watching in awe as the Dial floated back up to the ship. Shaking his head, Luffy jumped into the fray behind him as the Thousand Sunny started to turn. Within seconds, the ship had changed course, now sailing 90 degrees from its initial path. The ship above them slowed to a stop as if the people at its controls were confused.

Just as Nami had predicted, a hurricane brewed to life within a minute, the fierce winds ripping at Sunny's sails. The flying ship turned and chased after the sea-bound pirate ship in the hopes of escaping the storm.

* * *

The crew of the Thousand Sunny panted on the deck of their ship, each tired after a hard storm. In the confusion, most had forgotten about the flying ship, so only a few didn't jump when a large man with swords for legs below the knees touched down on the grass after floating from the ship in the sky.

"Well, well!" he rumbled in a deep, thick voice. "Aren't you an impressive lot!" He seemed on the older side with wrinkled olive skin and a liver spot under his left eye. Golden-blond hair bellowed down to his legs, part of a ship's steering wheel sticking out of his head like a wooden mohawk. His clothing looked to be made of worn, expensive materials, the brightest of which was a vertically-striped yellow and muted orange trench coat. His legs were missing from just below his knees, each having been replaced with one sword. A bushy goatee and lit cigar completed the man's look.

"Who are you?" Chopper asked, still panting from the storm as water dripped from his soaked fur. Next to him, Coby and Grace laid spread-eagle on the grass, pools forming around them. Grace was coming to, but a harsh wind had knocked Coby into the railing, sending him into unconsciousness.

"Jiihahaha!" the man laughed. "I'm nothing but an old pirate impressed by the skills of the rookies!"

"You must've been sailing for a long time," Amy thought aloud.

"Indeed I have," the pirate laughed, "but I've never seen a navigator predict a sudden hurricane like that! Which of you is the one that used the Tone Dial?"

"That would be me," Nami answered, more than a bit of pride laced into her words.

"That was some pretty good work, Babydoll."

"Don't call me that," Nami hissed, her happy countenance flipping instantly. Luffy stood next to her with his arms crossed, his eyes boring a hole into the older man. The blond held up his hands uneasily as a drop of sweat rolled down his brow. The wedding rings on the captain and navigator's fingers seemed to flash in the sunlight.

"Easy there," he chuckled. "I wasn't expecting such animosity. Still," He grinned, showing his pearly whites, "that was some fine work. I wouldn't mind having instincts like yours on my crew. Where are you headed?"

"We're headed to the East Blue," Grace supplied. "There's something going on that we want to check out."

"Is there?" the man chuckled. "Well, I suppose I can spare some time to help you. The Calm Belt is a bitch to sail through. That is, if you can't fly. Lucky for you, I always repay my debts, so I'll help you with the powers of my Float-Float Fruit." He paused, reaching down to touch one of Zoro's weights. With a single gesture, the dumbbell rose into the air and began orbiting the man. "It only works on objects," he said, cutting off the members that were going to ask to fly. "I can make myself float, but that's about it."

"We still don't know you're name," Robin told him, the man almost jumping in surprise.

"How careless of me! My name is Shiki, but the Marines call me Shiki the Golden Lion."

"That's such a badass name," Franky whispered to himself.

"Now why don't I help you across the Calm Belt by making your ship float?" Before anyone could answer, Shiki spun around and tapped the mast, the Sunny slowly rising into the air to sail alongside the flying island. Shiki didn't wait for a thank you before floating himself back to his ship.

"I'm not sure if this is cool or scary," Grace muttered as her head finally cleared. She nudged Coby beside her, but he stayed unconscious.

"I say it's freaking awesome!" Usopp put in, running to the railing with Luffy and Chopper hot on his heels. The trio watched over the railing as the sea got further away from their now-floating ship.

"I don't like this," Nami muttered to herself, the goosebumps coming back. This time, they weren't related to the weather.

* * *

The Thousand Sunny floated along, dwarfed by even the figurehead of the island-ship next to it. Some of the crew had chosen to change while they traveled. Gin now sported a t-shirt reading "Coal is Virgio", some of the letters hidden under a black jacket. Long pants came down to his hiking shoes and a dark bandana with his personal Jolly Rodger was tied around his head, covering his headband.

Amy and Grace had changed, too. The sisters had chosen the same style, sporting jean pants and Crimin brand t-shirts that showed off their figures. Amy's was, as usual, pale yellow while Grace had opted for tye-dye. Rather than her usual hat, Amy now covered her hair with a brown cowboy hat that complemented her blonde hair. Grace, on the other hand, had realized her hair was growing out and left her hat behind, her red hair flowing over her shoulder and down to her hip in a simple braid.

Merry had changed her clothes as well, a tank top with a sheep design just reaching her khaki pants. Sandals flopped on her feet as she walked, her hammer bouncing along in one of her belt loops. Coby was still dressed in his triceratops- shirt ensemble from before.

Having to not sail their own ship provided the crew with some downtime, said time most of them used to watch the clouds speed by below them. Coby began to shift into consciousness just as Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, and Merry awed the grouping of floating islands the Sunny and Shiki's ship approached. The boy sat up, an ice pack falling from his forehead, as Shiki returned to the deck of their ship.

"What do you think?" he asked through the cigar in his mouth, the Sunny now flying over the islands. "Every one of these islands is being help aloft by my own powers. This here is the best damn base you'll ever find, a floating paradise! Welcome to Merivelle!"

"That's amazing!" Luffy gushed as Chopper and Grace knelt beside the pink-haired boy.

"What happened?" Coby questioned, one hand reaching up to rub his cold skin.

"That storm we had knocked you into the railing," Chopper answered, pulling some pain-relief pills from his bag. "You've missed most of the trip, but a cool guy is helping us get to the East Blue using his Devil Fruit."

"What? Who?"

"He called himself Shiki," Grace answered, Coby just managing to swallow rather than lose the pills from a spit take.

"You mean Shiki the Golden Lion, the merciless rival of the Pirate King Gold Roger?!" Coby's surprised shout echoed across the deck, his words bringing a halt to the smaller conversations around. The silence hung in the air for only a few seconds before it was shattered by laughter.

"JIIIHAHAHA!" Shiki laughed from where he had placed himself by Nami. "So one of you does know me!"

Luffy stiffened from his captain's seat on the Sunny's head. He turned, throwing his arm toward his wife, but he wasn't fast enough.

"Now that everyone is awake, let me introduce you to Merivelle, your graveyard!" Shiki wrapped an arm around Nami's waste and arms, his other shoving into the grass deck and releasing his power's hold on the Sunny. The ship plummeted from the sky, the wind whipping past the pirates' ears failing to cover Shiki's maniacal laughter as he floated with the woman under his arm. "Your navigator is mine!"

"Luffy!"

"Nami!" The captain punched his other arm forward as his crew flailed through the air around them, his rubber body nearly reaching the blond. Shiki smirked, circling his finger slowly. The Sunny mirrored his movements, her mast swinging around like a giant bat. Each Straw Hat was launched, the crew scattered to the winds and lands with nothing but Shiki's laugh and wind in their ears.

"JIIIIHAAHAAHAAHAAA!"

"NAAAAMIIIIIII!"

 **End of Chapter 111**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	114. Strong World

**PSA: mostly 'cause I wanted it ta be known. I based much o' Gin's home of Virgio on the great Mountain State o' wild'n wonderful West Virginia. In case ya couldn't tell, that's mah home, accent an' all. It seems like people, even from the States, don' know we're our own state, callin' us "Western Virginia" an' all that. Not everything is taken from West Virginia stereotype: we don't live in tents or anything, but it thought it would be fun to write the accent... and I was right! The accent is staying in smaller bits.**

 **On a separate note and to see who actually reads these, I have a question. When it comes to Merry and Sunny, Who is the big sibling and who is the little sibling? Some would say Merry is older because she came first, but others would say Sunny because Sunny is bigger. Thoughts?**

 **Chapter 112:**

 **Strong world**

Nami breathed in and out slowly, tension draining from her body before she dove into the pool before her. Her dive was perfect, projecting her through the water. Opening her eyes, Nami scanned the bottom of the pool rather than the warm plants and glass walls she had become too familiar with over the last week. Something caught her eye, a grey square against the uniform blue of the pool floor. Satisfied, Nami let herself float to the top of the water, swim to the other side, flip, and swim back. She climbed out of the pool and made her way to the hammock that held a white towel. She didn't towel off for long, the room had no breeze to cool her wet skin, but she did take a seat to stare at the ring on her finger. "Where are you, Luffy?"

No sooner that words left her mouth than when a trumpet fanfare sounded, dragging the startled woman's attention to a tan canvas with three silhouettes. Her surprised look quickly fell into one of disappointment. The canvas dropped, revealing the three beings on the other side as they began what seemed to be a well-rehearsed dance number. The first and leader of the group was Shiki the Golden Lion, the pirate who had kidnapped her a week ago. To the left of Shiki was a gorilla with dark pink fur in a pink suit jacket and yellow-and-green floral fedora, two long fangs jutting out from its lower jaw. It also had green-on-yellow floral shorts and a white scarf.

To Shiki's right was a man dressed as a clown, face paint and all. His blue hair matched parts of his colorful outfit as well as his enormous shoes. A long scarf bounced around his neck, defying the laws of gravity behind him. Covering most of his outfit, which left a good portion of his chest bare, was a white lap coat. With a final four-part trumpet cord, the trio finished their dance with a gesture toward the bikini-clad prisoner.

(Seriously, the dance is ridiculous. Go look it up on YouTube if you haven't seen it!)

"Don't even look at me," Nami sniffed, turning away from the men.

"Cold as ever, Babydoll," Shiki chuckled, taking a few steps forward on his sword-legs.

"Don't call me that," the navigator hissed, glaring at the pirate captain.

"Aha!" the clown gasped, running over to his captain. Each step of his shoes let out a pronounced fart sound, each one making Shiki flinch.

"Are those really the only pair of shoes you own, Dr. Indigo?!" Shiki demanded, rounding on the man. The clown froze on one leg before performing as elaborate series of claps and hand gestures as if to convey some message. "Spit it out already, Doctor!"

"I just remembered I forgot to tell you something!"

"You can talk?!" The captain's gaping was followed by the slow claps and chuckles of the gorilla, dragging a startled expression from Shiki. "Grandma?"

"That's obviously a gorilla!" Indigo yelled, slapping the back of Skiki's head. As one, the three struck another pose like some traveling show. Nami blinked slowly, unamused. Turning away from them, Nami's feet carried her from the squabbling trio until her hand came to on the glass surrounding her prison. She stared out at the snow beyond.

"Where did it all go wrong?"

* * *

"Sshhhhiiiiiittt!" Luffy yelled, massive trees toppling over about 100 feet behind him. At his side ran Gin, Grace in a bridle carry. The girl rapidly mixed paints together, doing her best to keep the proportions right as the Electric Devil jumped over logs and rocks. Cresting the hill behind them came their pursuer, a giant, flat crocodile. Said crocodile snarled at them, its bulk bulldozing through all flora in its path.

"It's catchin' up!" Gin yelled, sliding under a downed tree the captain jumped over.

"Two more minutes!" Grace insisted from his arms, mixing a dark powder into her paint.

Running full tilt, Luffy and Gin blew past the forest's boundary onto what once was a stone plaza. Nearer the far end rested a fountain and two statutes of a unicorn and a lion. They and the fountain before them were covered in moss and ivy. The pirates spun around, waiting for the crocodile to emerge from the woods, but a giant pink octopus with blue spots slithered out of the trees instead.

"Tha Hell?" Gin demanded as he and the captain turned to run from this new creature, a screech alerting them to some new threat. They fled right, avoiding the giant praying mantis that flew in from over the cliff at the end of the plaza. The octopus roared its challenge to the insect, curled tentacles punching out toward it. The mantis nimbly skirted the attack, its bladed arms slicing out and through the octopus' tentacles. The sliced appendages toppled to the ground, the krakin staring at them for a second before turning to the giant bug sitting on the old fountain. Both yelled a battle cry, but before the octopus could turn, the mantis blindsided it, throwing it away. The octopus rolled to a slow stop and did not move.

The giant bug alighted itself on the decrepit fountain again and cried out its victory, chittering loud until a pair of massive paws locked each of its arms to its sides. A black bear with white stripes and arms twice the length of its own height almost lazily swung the mantis through the fountain headfirst. The bug crashed to the ground, surrounded by debris. The bear approached, undeterred by the cries of the now red-eyed and foaming creature, the bear grabbed the mantis' claws and pulled the insect into a bear hug. The praying mantis' voice cut off abruptly as the bear pile drove its head into the tiled earth.

As seemed to be the custom of the island, the bear yelled its victory over its fallen foes, panting until a forgotten scent reached it. It turned to the pirates, a fire in its eyes.

"You wanna fight?" Luffy demanded, jumping up. Gin followed his example, golden tonfa slowly building in momentum. Grace rose as well, careful to keep her new mixture from splashing. Luffy and the bear charged, meeting each other in the middle of their battleground. Luffy jumped yelling, "How about a Gum-Gum Pistol!"

The creature sidestepped the attack faster than any beast its size had any right to be, its arm smacking the pirate off into the forest. Gin came in from below, his tonfa coming up together to impact the monster's jaw with a crunch. The bear staggered backward, Gin's weapons coming in once more. The beast staggered from the force to its gut.

From around Gin ran Grace, the girl showing a newfound speed as she dashed around the dazed bear, painting its fur into a rainbow. The bear roared at her as she backed up, but the smaller pirate smirked, undaunted, as the bear came toward her.

"Try this," she said, pulling a packet of oil from a pouch. She tore the packet, the quick-lit oil inside igniting upon contact with the air. She tossed the fire, the bear having too much momentum to dodge. "Colors Trap: Art is an Explosion!"

The paint on the bear exploded, burning through its fur instantly. The smoke cleared to show a thoroughly-charred husk of what once was the bear.

"Holy Hell, Grace," Gin swore as Luffy landed his jump from the forest. "Wha'd ya put in that paint?"

"Oh you know," she waved off. "Gunpowder, magnesium, C4, benzene, nitroglycerin..."

"Hey, Gin!" Luffy called from over by the octopus. "Come fry this for us! I'm hungry!"

"Yes, Don," the Logia responded. A stomach rumbled from next to him, Grace scratching her cheek in embarrassment.

"I don't have any more rice crackers," she muttered sadly, as if that explained the rumblings.

* * *

"Come on, man!" Franky called behind him, Amy and Robin pausing as the cyborg turned to watch their skeletal musician. Brook didn't answer as he stared at the small, old temple they'd climbed over. The group of four stood on a long, stone bridge with massive, artificial pools on either side. Something catching her eye, Amy turned to stare in horror as a massive, green shark with two torsos, one in front of the other. The shark was a total of 20 feet long.

"Holy shit!" Amy squeaked, grabbing Robin to hide behind her. At the same time, a chittering sound drug the men's attentions to the temple. Out of its front came a black swarm of ants, hundreds of them, each with tiny weapons and armor.

"Run!" Franky yelled, grabbing the girls and bolting away from the ants. The insects run past the cowering Brook, ignoring him as they ran for the other three.

The shark, taking notice, turned and began to approach the bridge, jumping out of the water. Dropping the girls, Franky pulled the skin-like covering from his right hand.

And then the ants jumped. The cloud of black flew over the trio, impacting with the shark. In seconds, the ants ate the entirely of the shark, leaving nothing but bones that crashed into the water on the other other side. The ants themselves landed gently on the bridge.

"Hey, it's like me now," Brook mused, his eyeless gaze on the floating bones of the shark. Shaking his skull, Brook hurried toward his crewmates. "Are you all alright?"

"We are for now," Amy grumbled. "You'll be fine, though."

"Oh, why?"

"They want meat," Franky grunted, "not your dried-up, old bones."

"So I'm not good enough for you, huh?!" Brook yelled, jumping over the flesh-and-blood pirates and charging toward the ants with his cane-sword out. The insects charged as well, ignoring Brook altogether.

Finally clearing the swarm, the musician sauntered to a stop, replacing his sword into its sheath slowly. Seeing this, Franky replaced his glove. The cyborg, archeologist, and chocolateer began walking toward the ants without a care. The insects jumped just as Brook locked his blade into place.

"Three Verse Humming: Arrow Notch Slash!"

A wave of panic flowed through the cloud of ants, each one feeling its tiny back break before darkness claimed the entire colony. They fell like rain around the pirates, Amy going so far as to open her umbrella. They paused behind Brook, who was still motionless.

"I may be nothing but bones, but I'm still sensitive about my appearance. So tell me... do these pants make my butt look fat?"

* * *

"NAMI-SWAN! ROBIN-CHWAN! AMY-CHWAN! GRACE! MERRY! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"Shut up already!" Coby and Usopp yelled, trying to grapple and muffle the enraged chef before some other bohemian creature crawled out of the forest to confront them.

"It's been a week!" Usopp continued. "Just shut up and let us rest for a little!"

A growling grew from behind them, the three turning slowly to see a giant, green caterpillar with a mouth of razor-sharp teeth.

"Run!" Usopp cried, Coby switching into his Hybrid Mode to grab him and Sanji before bolting. The caterpillar gave chase, following them to a tree overlooking a cliff. Panicking, Coby threw his crewmates to the side and jumped, grabbing a hanging vine. The monster steamrolled off the cliffside, roaring.

"That was too close," Coby breathed as its voice echoed to nothing below.

"Uh, Coby," Sanji began, Usopp still and pale beside him. "Don't freak out, but you've got a cat."

"What? I..." he trailed off, a rumble reaching both his ears and his hands. Slowly, the rosette turned his attention upward. There, resting upon the branch over him, was a massive, blue sabertooth tiger with six legs and two tails. The blue eyes of this tiger bored into the Zoan as Coby's vision followed one of the cat's whiskers down until seeing his own hand.

Without warning and as quickly as he could, Coby jumped back toward the cliff, swinging from vine to vine as the incensed tiger slunk from its resting place to reveal its true size.

"Oh no you don't!" Sanji and Usopp yelled.

"Tabasco Star!"

"Concassé!"

The giant cat's eyes widened in shock and pain as its flaming tongue was trapped within its burning mouth, the cook's foot forming an indent in its skull as its chin forcefully met the ground. Coby landed behind Usopp, his hybrid arms catching something that sent him skidding backward into the sniper. A sort of compact bull wiggled in his hands, smoking.

"The Hell is that?!" Usopp cried. Two holes opened on either side of the trio, an entire herd of the bulls appearing in the trees. Coby tossed his bull into the air, cutting it in half before sending a 32 Caliber Phoenix to cut down another one. Still, more and more rained down, shattering and cracking the cliff.

"We're going down!" Sanji screamed, the cliff giving way beneath them.

* * *

Monsters were nothing to the Straw Hats. Snakes that could swallow the Lord of the Sky whole? Mincemeat. Massive dinosaurs with antlers? Breakfast. An entire woolly mammoth? A pet to ride.

The constant blizzard was a different story.

"It's left!" Zoro argued, his forehead and Merry's pushing against each other. "That's the way out!"

"No, it's right!" Merry growled. "The wind is blowing that direction, so there's warm air there!"

"The way to go is the hardest way to move!"

"Not all who wander are lost, but you sure as Hell are!"

"You wanna say that again, Half-Pint?!"

Chopper sighed over his crewmates' squabbling, using his human form to keep the little girl they'd found half an hour ago warm. They'd been stuck in this freezing tundra for the three days and had recently captured a mammoth to carry them. They found a little native girl shortly after, passed out and about to be eaten. She was short, four feet at best, with straight red hair that brushed her shoulders and a bird-like face. Pale pink feathers, frosted over from the cold, lined the lengths of her arms and her little purple-and-white dress did nothing to protect her from the cold. Clutched in her nearly-frostbitten hands was a small plant with a pearl-like flower.

Slowly, her eyes began to open.

"W-Where am I?" the little girl asked, her stutter either from the cold or fear of the gorilla-like face that first filled her vision. The sounds of squabbling and the feel of the warm, furry whatsit she sat on reached her a second later.

"Oh good," Chopper smiled. "You're awake."

"W-Where am I?" the girl asked again. "W-Who are you?"

"You can call me Chopper. Tony Tony Chopper. Behind me are Zoro and Merry. We found you freezing and about to be eaten by a huge monster, so we saved you. You're on the back of a mammoth right now. What's your name?"

"Umm, I'm Xiao," the redhead answered carefully. "How long has it been?"

"We found you maybe six hours ago, but we've been on this island for three days now."

"What?" she questioned, sitting up. "Why are you still in the Winter Zone? It only takes half a day to get across." She scanned the horizon before pointing ahead of them and to the left. "You can see the edge of the island over there!"

Chopper felt his eyes twitch as the arguing behind him stalled. His head half turned, one eye glaring at his crewmates.

"We have been wandering around in this blizzard for three days," the Zoan growled.

"She/He did it!"

 **End of Chapter 112**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	115. Back Together

**Chapter 113:**

 **Back Together**

Nami rested on the hammock her captive had provided, never letting the old pirate out of her peripheral vision. Shiki and his gorilla hadn't moved much since Indigo had yelled something about a new breakthrough and ran off. Letting out another sigh as the light bounced off the water of the pool in just the right way that it glinted off her wedding ring, Nami let her mind wander to Luffy. Shiki and the gorilla either hadn't noticed her ring or didn't care. The telltale sound of Indigo's shows finally appeared, the door to the room banging open seconds later to reveal Indigo with something covered in a tarp.

"This is it, Captain!" the scientist voiced with a glint in his eye, dropping his cargo. "A new genetic mutation!" The clown pulled a sheet from the item, showing a cage as tall as he was. Inside looked to be a mix of a peacock, a duck, and a chicken, the creature as tall as the navigator. Its feathers were mostly yellow with spots closer to brown dotting its wings. Clawed, slightly-webbed feet supported the bird from below. A red rooster's crown crested the creature's head and a large, rounded beak protruded from under its large eyes, said eyes surrounded by red, flame-like shapes. Finally, an orange peacock tail with green designs almost as tall as itself stood folded behind it.

"A guitar?" Shiki questioned seriously.

"It's obviously a bird!" the clown protested.

"OOHH, OOHH!" the gorilla yelled, pounding his chest. Indigo's eyes droopped as his moment was ruined.

"Are you pounding your chest to try to impress the girl?" the doctor asked. Shiki's jaw dropped, his eyes widening.

"I thought you were my mother for a second there."

"Does everyone in your family look like a freaking gorilla?!" Indigo demanded, smacking the back of his captain's head. The trio ended their act, striking another pose. Nami blinked before the cage opened, the bird flapping onto Shiki's shoulders. It splayed its peacock-like tail before the trio and bird were engulfed in a flash of electricity.

"Stupid guitar!" the blond yelled as the shock faded, grabbing the bird and throwing it away.

"Leave him alone!" Nami demanded, leaving her hammock and running the the creature's side.

"Is that the mutation you wanted to show me, Doctor Indigo?"

"Y-Yes," the scientist muttered, still dizzy from the shock. He shook his head, clearing it. "The Gigafowl has evolved to release bursts of electricity while fully immune from them itself. We won't be sure how it works until we dissect it."

"You won't touch him," Nami cut in, placing herself in front of the downtrodden fowl. The Gigafowl huddled behind her, tears forming in its eyes. "And what was all that about evolutionary breakthroughs?"

"Well, you'll learn it when you join my crew," Shiki began, "so I might as well tell you now. See, these islands have always had a rapid evolutionary growth, some species changing so much as to be unrecognizable after three or four generations. Our research narrowed the source down to a local plant known as IQ. With that in mind, I've had my men harvest every last IQ plant on the islands and distill it into a concentrate so potent, it can make an animal mutate in hours and become violent to the point of insanity, conquering challenges with nothing but brute force. You've never seen such vicious creatures, and it's these perfect weapons that I'll unleash on the East Blue until the Government crumbles to my demands! JIIIHAHAHA! JIIIIIIIIHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"You're a loony," Nami hissed. "I'd never betray the East Blue or my Nakama. I'll never join you."

"Assuming they're still alive," Shiki smirked. "I doubt it after a week with these beasts."

Nami gulped, telling herself that they were still alive.

They had to be.

"Are you sure you don't want to join me now? Disappointing, but that makes forcing you to grovel later so much sweeter. You'll end up on your knees begging to join, Babydoll. Just remember, I'm always willing to grant a favor for one of my own.

"Sorry, Doctor," Shiki said, turning away from Nami and the Gigafowl. "I don't think this one will be useful to us." Shiki eyed the bird without turning. "But it seems my new navigator has taken a liking to it. I think I'll let you keep it, Babydoll. Call it a gesture of good will." With that, Shiki snapped his fingers the his trio made their exit, the gorilla pounding his chest again.

Nami waited for several minutes- until she was sure they were not coming back anytime soon- before releasing the breath she'd been holding. She reached out, petting the large animal's head, a gesture the duck responded happily to. This was it.

"Come on," she told it, assuming it understood enough to follow. "We're leaving."

Leaving the duck's side, Nami loaded a backpack and slipped into the pool, swimming to the far end. The duck followed her, just as graceful in the water. Reaching her first destination, Nami sucked in a breath and dove, the duck followed without pause. He joined the orange-haired woman as she pulled the cover from the bottom of the pool, revealing a pipe system wide enough for the duck to fit.

What a flaw in Shiki's design plans.

Understanding her plan, the duck all but scooped the girl up, rocketing through the water as soon as she had a grip on his feathers. They hurtled through the water for a time, blasting out of a ring of water clinging to Shiki's main island. Nami took that time to open her eyes and catch her breath, noticing that they were falling toward a volcano filled with water.

The two dove into the water, a blast of electricity coloring the surrounding air yellow. The Gigafowl alighted on a seaking that had fallen to its shock before realizing the girl he had befriended was no longer on his back. Panicking, the duck found her floating like the fish. He grabbed her, pulling her from the water and gently pecking at her face, a worried expression showing his concern. She groaned, breathing. The duck gasped, pecking her harder.

"Knock it off!" Nami roared, punching the bird. It skidded before jumping to its feet, a look of relief and joy on its face and electricity sparking around it. "No!" the navigator ordered as she raised a hand, the bird pouting without touching her just outside her reach.

"Wahhh!"

"You did save me," Nami conceded, dropping her hand. "Thank you."

"Waahhh!"

"Now where are we?" The navigator glanced around. Trees, trees, trees, ship, trees... "It's the sunny!" she cried, jogging down the mountain toward where their ship had landed, its sturdy Adam Wood showing no signs of damage. Suddenly, something exploded from the trees to her right. Nami slowed to a stop on the mountainside as a trio ran from the forest.

"Oh, hey. It's the Sunny," a familiar voice laughed before a roar split the air. One of the trio grabbed the other two and ran in her direction just before three giant scorpions and a massive lion followed their path out of the trees in pursuit.

"Nami!" Luffy gasped, catching a glimpse of her from where Gin was dragging him and Grace. "You escaped!"

"Take care of them first!" the orange-haired woman cried.

"Waaahhh!" A mass of yellow flew overhead, impacting the creatures with a blinding light and the smell of ozone. The pirates turned back to see a duck they'd never met perched over the steaming corpses of the other monsters. They blinked.

"Huh."

"That was awesome!"

"But lightnin's my thing!"

* * *

"This scorpion is great!" Luffy cried, Gin and Grace humming their agreement. "Nami, you need to try some. Isn't that right, Billy?"

"Waahh!"

"Who's Billy?" the navigator asked, stepping out from behind the boulder she'd used to change. She now wore a short top striped red, yellow, then green and a pair of short jeans cut off before her legs.

"This guy!" her husband laughed, tugging on the duck's cheek. Billy let off a charge of electricity, the power running over the rubber-man and into the Logia. Gin wavered for a second before balancing out. "He's got a big bill. Hey, Nami! Can we keep him since we couldn't keep the beetle?"

"I don't know..." Nami responded. "We have to get out of here first."

"Should we wait by the Sunny for everyone else?" Grace asked, reaching for another scorpion claw from beside the cooking fire. Nami walked over, setting herself down by her beloved and stealing his claw. For his part, the only reaction Luffy had besides grabbing a new claw was snagging one last bite out of the one she took.

"No way!" the captain answered around his mouthful. "That's boring!"

"Don't talk with your mouth full!" his wife admonished.

"She's been fine this long," Gin thought aloud. "She cou' stand 'nother few days. And wi' Billy bein' able ta fly, tha' makes findin' the others a Helluva lot easier."

"We'll leave as soon as we're done eating," Luffy agreed, tearing off another bite.

"Fine, but let me get my Clima-Tact first."

* * *

Sanji, Usopp, and Coby woke up in a boat, their clothes sopping wet. Unsure of their location, Sanji poked his head up over the rim, eyeing the world beyond the boat. "Guys, there's something wrong."

"What do you mean?" Coby questioned as he poked his head up next to Sanji. On the shore stood a village of plain-looking houses. Older women and young children went about their daily lives, the most surprising thing about them being feathers that reached along their arms like pseudo-wings.

"What's wrong, Sanji?" Usopp hissed from the boat.

"There's no young ladies here."

"That's your problem?" Coby yelled, smacking the chef.

"Oh, you're awake," woman's voice said, the three pirates turning to see an old woman with black hair. "You sure have us a fright when you fell out of the sky like that. We thought you'd all died." Bending down, the woman set a trio of steaming mugs on the dock beneath her feet, sitting next to them just before the men scooped them into their hands.

"Thank you, miss/madam," Coby and Sanji nodded, Usopp only managing a simple "Thanks."

"Oh, do I look like a madam to you?" the woman waved off, her feathers waving.

"I'm sorry," Coby muttered, "but why do you all have those feathers?"

"Oh, these? Don't know. We've all got them."

"Are you all getting enough to eat?" Sanji questioned. "You're all much too thin. And why aren't there any young women or men around?"

"Well, we could do better," the old woman admitted awkwardly, her voice slowly shifting from embarrassment to sadness. "Most of us live from hand to mouth, but we manage. It wasn't always that way, but everything changed when Shiki showed up."

"Shiki?!" the pirates yelled.

"Yeah. All of the men and women were taken to work in the palace. From the notes we've gotten, if they don't work, we die. Shiki's got us all under his thumb. It will be a good day when he leaves for the East Blue and- get down!" The woman lunged, pressing the pirates into the bottom of the boat, hissing at them to be quiet. Poking their heads up just far enough to see, the Straw Hats were greeted to the image of a giant transponder snail with purple skin and a blue shell.

"What is that?" Usopp hissed.

"It's a surveillance transponder snail," the island native replied lowly. "That's how Shiki keeps tabs on us."

They stayed crouched until the snail moved away, the woman then assuring them it wouldn't return for about eight hours. Thanking her, the trio started up a hill into the town. Finally, the exhaustion of the past week caught up to them, the pirates all but collapsing by a small set of stairs. Usopp froze, staring at the top of the steps. Seeing this, Sanji glanced that direction.

"Oh, hey, it's you," the chef said, his words mixing with Zoro's.

"Usopp!" Chopper cheered, running down the stairs and flinging himself at the sniper for a hug, Merry doing the same.

"Zoro-sensei!" Coby greeted with a wave.

"Sleep first, Shrimp," Zoro muttered. "Talk later."

Without any more preamble, the assimilated pirates collapsed into something of a disjointed, snoring heap.

* * *

"Crawley Davidson~! Crawley Davidson~! Lalala~ lalala~ lala~!"

Franky hummed along to Brook's song as he directed the Crawley Davidson, a giant crawfish he'd forced into becoming a motorbike, through an expanse of desert. Robin sat sideways on the 'bike' behind him. Behind her was Brook, sitting backwards as he strummed his violin. Amy floated behind them weightlessly, her umbrella connected the the bike by a chain of Robin's arms.

"This is the way to travel!" Amy called down. "Hey, I see a castle or something!"

"Is that a town?" Franky question, the crawfish beneath them jerking backward.

"Ow," Brook whined as the animal-turned-bike skidded to a stop and jumped backward. "I bit my tongue... not that I have one."

"What the Hell?" the cyborg demanded, punching the creature. "Bikes don't jump backwards, Stupid!"

"The poor thing's trembling," Amy muttered, landing next to it."

"It's not listening to me is what it's doing," Franky growled. "I guess we'll have to walk..." Sighing, Franky removed the modifications from the crustacean and the quartet continued forward through a ring of fat, white trees with a pungent aroma.

"I guess we'll check out whatever's up there," Amy shrugged. "I'm hungry."

"You and me both, Lil' Sis!" Franky responded.

 **End of Chapter 113**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	116. Shiki vs The Crew

**Chapter 114:**

 **Shiki vs. The Crew**

"Waaahhh!" Billy cried, his flight coming to a sudden stop as he turned in midair, climbing higher.

"What's wrong?" Luffy demanded over Nami and Grace's screams. Billy quickly landed on a smaller piece of floating island, all but crashing as he wretched and panted. The riders dismounted, three of the four fretting about Billy.

"There's a village," Gin called to his companions worrying about the duck, unafraid to fall from such a height. "Looks like it's surrounded by a ring of trees."

"Those are the same type of trees Shiki has surrounding his palace," Nami noted. "I wonder if the smell keeps the animals out?"

"Is that it, Billy?" Luffy asked, the duck responding with a sad "Wah."

"Best thing we can do right now is plug his nose and keep going," Grace suggested. "It's strong, though. I can smell it from here." Shrugging, the pirate stuffed plugs into the duck's nose and mounted him once more, the gigafowl completing the last leg of the journey. Their landing was accented by a cry of "Nami-swan! Grace-chan!"

"Hey, Sanji!" Luffy laughed as the four set down just outside the village. The chef was not alone as Zoro, Usopp, Chopper, Coby, and Merry watched.

"I'm so happy you're alive! I was so worried about you this past week that I couldn't even sleep!"

"No kidding," Usopp grumbled. "We got into a fight every hour because the moron wouldn't stop screaming your name."

"We're still missing Robin and Amy!" the chef gasped, ignoring the sniper.

"They're probably avoiding you!" Zoro groused.

"Oh?" Sanji muttered, glancing back at the swordsman. His ire rose, memories of Thriller Bark's dock coming to his mind. "Why aren't you looking for Robin so you can swoon over her? Afraid you'll get lost?" Zoro sputtered, unable to answer. The clapback received a round of laughter from Coby, Merry, Gin, and Nami. Grace slid from Billy's back and hurried to Coby, eager to tell him that she put his training to use.

"It's so great to see you all again!" Luffy smiled. "Oh! This is Billy, by the way!"

"Wah!" the duck saluted.

"Ah wonder where tha others 're," Gin thought aloud.

"They'll be fine," Zoro waved off. "The four of them are too strong for some stupid animals to beat them."

"Mom, there's a giant bird outside!" the little girl some of the pirates knew as Xiao gasped, turning the pirates' attentions to her in the doorway of her home. She quickly tensed, passing out and starting to fall backwards before her mother caught her.

"Oh my! You all have become quite the little party! Why don't you come inside and rest?"

"Most of us are good," Luffy shrugged. "You should go on in, Nami. After what Shiki put you through. I bet you could use some rest." His voice held a tinge of worry.

"I guess," she replied, kissing him before stepping into the house. The door closed, Nami just able to hear Sanji lamenting, again, at his "stolen Nami-swan" before Luffy punched him with a cry of "Mine!"

* * *

Laughter and yelling resounded through the bar as beer, rum, and other drinks emptied and refilled rapidly. Franky, Robin, and Brook, watched this from the second floor, casual but ready to fight or run should the need arise.

"I'm not seeing our crew," the cyborg frowned, "but what's with all the pirates? They've got enough cutthroats to start a _super_ war or something."

"Each crew has their own Eternal Pose, so we can safely assume they're all supposed to be here," Robin noted, nodding to one of the many food-laden tables below them. Neither pirate answered, through Brook waylayed a passing barmaid, swapping out his empty teacup for a fresh one.

She stood about as tall as Amy with red hair tied up in a ponytail. Her clothing consisted of a purple and pink dress with a short skirt and small heels. Her arms bore pale pink feathers reaching up from her wrist and past her elbows.

"Pardon me, miss," he began, "but would you be so kind as to show me your panties?"

"No way, creep!" the barmaid answered, jumping higher than any normal person could. She raised one leg, giving Brook a single second of the vision he wished for before ax-kicking his skull into the floor.

"Excuse me," Robin said as she landed. "Are those feathers on your arms?"

"Oh, these? I don't know." She shrugged, looking at Robin with a pair of chocolate eyes. "I get the feeling we want to be birds."

"That doesn't make any sense," Franky responded, a bottle of Cola in hand. "I don't think you can turn into a bird just because you wanna."

"No' withou' a Bird Zoan er sommin," Amy slurred, stepping over with a bag of coins, her winnings from a drinking contest the others had tried to warn her away from. Tears streamed from her eyes, drawing Robin and Franky's concern.

"So about those panties-" Brook muttered, the barmaid stepping on him as she smiled and excused herself.

"Ms. Allsundaaayyyy," Amy cried, throwing herself over the other woman. "Ah don' know what ta dooooo!"

"I cannot believe you let yourself get drunk," Robin sighed.

"I'm rrruuuuiiiiiinnnneeddddd!"

"What do you mean, Ms. Valentine," Robin questioned.

"I... I..." The blonde hiccuped. "At tha' Blue I'land East place, Ah pra... por..." She struggled to find the word in her drunken state. "I don' know if ah wanna marry Gin!"

"Ow, what?!" Franky gasped, stumbling over the railing. The shipwright managed to catch himself and hauled himself back up. "Did he _super_ propose or something?"

"I did on *hic* on accident!" Amy wailed, her tears suddenly drying as lament turned to anger. "How the Hell was I suppost ta know givin' a damn name was offer'n marryin'?! An' why the Hell hasn' 'e given me an answer?! Am I not good enough fer 'im?!" She shifted back into a blubbering mess. "Help meeeee!"

"He hasn't responded?" Robin asked as Brook pulled himself from the floor.

"Noooo, an' that makes its worst! I don' even know if 'e knows!"

"If he doesn't know, then what's the problem?" Franky cut in, Amy punching him over the railing for his stupidity.

"Bu' what if he _does_ know! What if he doesn' like me like that? I like him. Like, _a lot_ like, but do I, like, _like-like_ him? Do I wanna? Do I want him ta _like-like_ me? I don't know! Waaahhhh!"

"That's something ya don't see every day," a nearby pirate laughed, getting a better look at the group over his mug. "Hey, you're the Straw Hats, aren't ya? You don't seem like the type ta join Captain Shiki, but yer on the winning side now!"

"That's why we're here," Robin answered, rubbing soothing circles on Amy's back. "I'm a little confused, though. Do you know why he's forming this brotherhood of pirates?"

"Ya don't know why? Yer joking! Can't you read?" He rummaged in his coat before pulling out a paper. "It's right here in the news. Take a look."

"You mean...!" Robin gasped as Franky pulled himself back to the second floor. "Those meteors are Shiki's doing?"

"Captain Shiki's a clever bastard, ain't he?" the pirate from the bar laughed, Robin and Franky reading the newspaper he had offered. Amy rested as Robin's feet, starting to sleep off the alcohol in her system due to a Lullaby courtesy of Brook. "There's no way the Government can overlook this."

"I see," Robin nodded. "But what's his exact goal?"

"After he destroys the East Blue, he's going to conquer the whole stinkin' world!" the pirate waved off. "Not like there's anything there to miss, anyway. It all starts after the assembly tonight. First we have dinner, then he lets those monsters of his out on the East Blue."

"Those things are bad news," Franky shivered. "It'll be a slaughter if he does that."

"If you want an omelet," the pirate shrugged. "Like I said, not like there's much to miss in these eggs."

"I'm glad I'm on Shiki's side," one of the pirate's crewmates broke in.

"No kidding. To Captain Shiki!"

"To Shiki!" most of the bar roared.

"Y'all better get changed," the crewmate laughed. "Tonight is formal-wear only."

"So there's a dress code for the end of the world," Robin chuckled mirthlessly. "Good to know."

"I heard he's got a demonstration planned, a warm up before the East Blue or somethin'. See, there's a village on the island he's left alone just fer tonight. Watchin' those people scream is gonna be fun!"

"Wait," Franky blinked. "There are people here?!"

* * *

"Grandma! Mommy!" Xiao jumped over a sleeping Luffy as she hurried into her home after completing her errand, passing the other sleeping pirates. "Shiki's leaving!"

"Are you sure?" her mother gasped.

"Yeah! Everyone's coming back! I saw Shoo's daddy with my own eyes! He said everyone else will be back soon! Daddy and Sis should be back any time now!"

"After all this time?" Xiao's grandmother questioned, sitting up from her bed."It's like a dream."

The old woman had large, green splotches on the left side of her face, the results of a disease known as Daft. As they had explained to the pirates, Daft was caused by inhaling particles from the Daft Green trees that surrounded the village. The particles weren't dangerous in small amounts, but long-term exposure leads to the spots growing until they cover the entire body, paralyzing the victim. Xiao had met Zoro, Merry, and Chopper because she had been trying to find the cure, a small plant known as IQ, but one plant was not enough. That plant now sat in a small cup of water, taunting them but too valuable to throw out.

"I can hardly believe it," Xiao's mother cried, scooping her daughter into a hug and sitting on the bed. "After so long, that evil Shiki is finally going to leave. Then he'll be the East Blue's problem."

Nami frowned from her spot wrapped up in a blanket. 'They don't know,' she thought, wincing. One hand touched the gold bracelet she had received from her sister after Arlong's defeat so long ago. Carefully and with a hoarse whisper, she got to her feet.

"Luffy." Nami pushed her way out of the house, moving her way towards the back. "Luffy!"

"Stay back," the captain ordered, he and the other Straw Hats watching the sunset in a tense semicircle. Said sunset poured through an arch the pirate were sure was not there before, Shiki the Golden Lion standing atop it. "If you want to help, help Gin."

"Reunited at last, Babydoll."

"Stop calling her that!" Luffy yelled.

"That was cold of you to leave, Babydoll," the blond continued, ignoring the other captain. "You didn't even bother to say goodbye! You sure know how to hurt a guy's feelings."

"The only one who's feeling I'm worried about hurting are my husband's," Nami bit back. "We know about your scheme to destroy the East Blue."

"So? I think you know sinking ship when you see one. You know you're better off with me than with these lowlifes, Babydoll."

"Shut up!" Luffy demanded. "If you think you can get away with trying to steal one of my crew, my wife no less, you've got another thing coming, bastard!"

"Oh? What are you gonna do about it?"

"Break you in half! Let's go!"

As one, the nine pirates charged the elder outlaw, Luffy reaching him first with a Gum-Gum Rocket. Shiki shifted to the side, but was surprised to find one of Luffy's legs ready to catch him in the torso. Even as Shiki brought one sword-leg up to counter, and hopefully slice off a chunk of the offending party, Luffy's leg was already moving to dodge. The older pirate's eyes narrowed as he flew upward, unsure if his thoughts were right. Storm clouds he was sure we're not there a second ago rumbled above them, lightning striking somewhere nearby.

"72 Caliber Phoenix!" Zoro and Coby called in tandem, their flying slashes mixing on their course to Shiki. Scowling, the pirate kicked them away before having to dodge Usopp's Firebird Star.

"Power Ram Shoot!" Sanji yelled, launching Merry at their airborne foe.

"Gordian's Knot!" the klabautermann announced, twisting through the air. Shiki's frown deepened as one of his legs kicked upward to cut the ball of rope in half. Merry was just able to avoid death by catching the next sword on her horns, the force sending her plummeting.

"Adrenaline Amber!" Grace yelled after Coby took off running, catching the ship-girl in an adrenaline-boosted haze. Spinning her momentum away and releasing her, the rosette Shaved in front of Shiki, his Hybrid form already swinging.

"Unseen Disaster!"

"Arm Point: Cloven Hoof Sakura!" The Golden Lion was unable to avoid both attacks, his sword-legs blocking the Ancient Zoan as Chopper's hooves pounded into the pirate's back. Shiki grimaced as the attack left pick hoof-marks along his back, manipulating his Fruit to spin quickly. The force knocked Coby and Chopper backward, just in time for a bolt of electricity to fire at the man.

"10,000 Watt Lightning Shot!" Shiki dove out of the way, only to have his vision filled with Gin's angered expression, electricity flowing over his blurry form. "Spinning Death!" Shiki's arms shot up, both covered with a black substance that negated the lightning sparking from Gin's tonfa.

"To think you would make me use not only my arms, but my Haki as well. Your teamwork is truly-"

"Concasé!"

"Gum-Gum Rifle!"

Whatever Shiki was about to say died on his lips as Sanji and Luffy sandwiched him between their attacks, Sanji's steel-toed boots going through Gin. The Lion's strangled cry turned to rage, his fists and flight allowing him to punch those around him into the ground.

"It's about time you worms learned your place: in the dirt!" He raised one hand, gesturing upward. "Lion's Threat: Earthbind!"

"No!" Luffy yelled before the ground began to rupture around them. "Grace, give me something!"

"Observation Orange!" the painter answered, Luffy's world shifting. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as every one of Luffy's senses went into overdrive. Shiki floated above them, eight giant lions made of dirt rising out of the ground and closing in on the group. He could smell of the fear of his crewmates around him, their minds screaming for something they could do. Worst of all was Nami's cries, fear and worry overriding everything else in her mind.

"Get Captain Luffy out!" Coby's yell came at a snail's pace, one of his Sabaku no Kiba blades rising to point at the lion between them and Shiki. "Focus on that one!"

Luffy didn't like it, but the others seemed set on that plan and they didn't have time for a new one. Each pirate prepared their most powerful attacks, a Gum-Gum Cannon, Diable Jambe, 108 and 72 Caliber Phoenixes, 100,000 Watt Lightning Shot, Carving Hoof Sakura, Color Trap: Art is an Explosion, a dozen Exploding Stars, and Gordian's Knot smashed into and through the lion head, rendering it nothing but a memory and crippling its two neighbors. Not wasting any time, Coby grabbed Luffy and spun, using up the last of the Adrenaline Amber in throwing his captain at a considerable speed toward their foe.

"Gum-Gum Gatling!"

"Earth Wall!" As the name implied, a wall of dirt flew up between the two airborne enemies, but it seems so slow from Luffy's point of view.

"This is for my wife!" The East Blue native's fists met the wall at every one of its weak points, tiny bouts of black lightning erupting from each impact and destroying the defensive move. Luffy didn't stop there, continuing the attack to rain punches down on Shiki who frantically tried to block. Taking a risk, Luffy continued his attack with one hand while the other came up to his mouth. "Third Gear!"

Shiki's eyes widened as his opponent's arm swelled, flying away from the Gum-Gum Gatling. 'Maybe I underestimated these worms,' he thought, dodging and blocking lightning, flying slashes, and explosions. 'I better finish this.' The eye he kept on the captain widened as the air in the rubber-man's arm transferred to his leg.

"Gum-Gum-!" Though Luffy could see it coming, he was too slow to dodge the black-clad fist that punched him, driving him backward and scraping his shirt.

"You know, I lied to you before. I can't control the flight of creatures. Their stuff, though..." With a flick of his wrist, Shiki sent Luffy hurtling into the dirt next to his crew by his shirt, just in time for the Earthbind to reach them. Several tons of dirt came crashing down on the Straw Hats, twisting and pressing before condensing into a rising pillar that contracted. Strong the Straw Hats may be, but no Paradise-level pirate could resist that much earth and stay conscious unless they managed to avoid most of it.

"Luffy!" Nami screamed, dropping her Clima-Tact. "Guys!" The pillar finalized, the faces and some select limbs of her crewmates coming out of the dirt.

"Jiiihahaha," Shiki laughed, landing beside the young woman as she fell to her knees. "Your friends were stronger than I expected, Babydoll. I'll give you that much. You don't have to worry, though. They're still alive. Just... taking a dirt nap."

"You're going to attack the East Blue," Nami stated.

"Yeah. So what?"

"Don't you dare lay another finger on my friends or the East Blue!"

"You're getting ahead of yourself, Babydoll. I told you, I'm willing to do a favor or two for one of my own. Right now the only thing that threatens me are the cyclones of the Grand Line. Having a navigator that could predict them, well, there's not much I _wouldn't_ exchange for that."

Nami's eyes shifted from Shiki to the pillar, one hand moving to the golden bangle she kept on her wrist.

"Keepsake of the dead?" Shiki questioned.

"Don't be stupid," Nami bit back instinctively before her voice lowered again. "I got it from my sister, back in the East Blue... If I did choose to join you, would you leave my friends and the East Blue alone?"

"Jiiihaha! Well, I couldn't promise the whole East Blue, but I'd be willing to leave your home alone. As for your friends, if they don't attack me, I wouldn't have a problem with that." Nami paused.

"Don't do it, Mrs. Nami!"

"Merry!" The navigator jerked at the voice, her eyes being dragged to Merry, her form cradled inside Usopp's within the pillar.

"Conscious?" Shiki muttered. "I'm surprised."

"Mrs. Nami, what would Captain Luffy say to something like this?"

"But Merry-"

"There's no buts about this! Captain Luffy would say 'go to He-'!"

"Insolent pest," Shiki frowned, the rock he had knocked Merry out with tumbling to the ground. A massive slice of earth floated over the pillar, easily meeting the size of the village. "What do you say, Babydoll?"

"...Fine," Nami gave in after several seconds and the lowering of the slab to the top of the pillar.

"Eh. Not good enough for me."

Slowly, Nami kneeled before the stronger pirate, tears in her eyes. "Please, Captain. If... If you'll spare any island with my... my former crew's jolly roger, I will join your crew as your chief navigator... Please."

"That's more like it!" Shiki grinned. "Welcome aboard! It's hard, learning that there are opponents you could never beat, but that's part of growing up. Jiiihahaha!" Reaching into his robe, Shiki withdrew the Tone Dial from when they'd first met. "I'm not some lowly kidnapper. For honor amongst pirates and all that, I'll let you leave a farewell message to them. Do make sure they don't come back, ok?"

Grabbing the conch shell with tears in her eyes, Nami pressed the apex and began her goodbye.

 **End of Chapter 114**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	117. Party Crashers

**So with an overwhelming vote, option 2 was agreed upon. I will be doing the Stolen Dreams Arc as a one-chapter filler after Strong World. It will not affect the main plot, but will offer a buffer chapter for the time it takes to write Sabaody.**

 **Someone also mentioned the crew getting bigger bounties for beating Shiki, and seeing as he was a rival to Gol D. Roger, this is a strong argument that I hadn't thought of. I'll be using the pictures of their bounties to sow more chaos in the filler. This filler, you have my permission to skip.**

 **Anywho, enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 115:**

 **Party Crashers**

Coby woke to something slapping him none too softly, the smell of smoke reaching him a second later. Concerned, the Zoan's eyes shot open, Franky's face swimming into view.

"N-Nami's gone," Luffy's voice cried from somewhere nearby. "I-I was too weak."

"She's trying to save us and our homes," Merry offered with a scowl. "This is Enies Lobby all over again, but with bigger risks."

Shaking his head, Coby pushed himself upright as Franky moved on to waking Usopp. Taking in his surroundings, Coby found that, once again, he was one of the last ones awake. The rest of the crew were scattered around the boulder-strewn area, quiet as Chopper treated their wounds. Beyond them burned the remains of the village that had taken them in, smoke wafting into the sky.

"What happened?" the Ancient Zoan asked.

"Shiki released the monsters on this poor village," Robin answered. "We were too slow to stop them."

"What now?" Zoro grunted from beside her.

"I... I don't know." Luffy's tone was downtrodden. Broken.

"It looks like we have three options," Grace offered as she helped Coby stand. "One: we can leave and get killed by Grand Line weather in a week. Two: we can try to join Shiki."

"Yohoho," Brook chuckled mirthlessly. "I'm the last one to join this crew and even I know neither of those is a valid option."

"Then we'll kick down door number three," Gin growled, a cigarette on his lips as he helped Amy get over her hangover on the insistence of Robin and Franky. "We go an' get tha Donna back."

"Now you're speaking our language," Franky smirked, punching his hand.

"It's not every day we get to rescue a princess and save the world," Sanji said around his own cigarette.

"Princess?" Robin questioned.

"She's going to be the Queen of the Pirates," the chef answered as if it was obvious. "Shiki's crossed us, and now we're royally pissed off."

"Baaahahaha!" Merry laughed. "That lion bastard-"

"Language!"

"-underestimates the East Blue. Let's show him what we have to offer!"

"Are..." a wavering voice began. "Are you all from the East Blue?" The pirates turned to see Xiao's family, her mother the one to speak.

"Most of us," Gin muttered. "Our crew began there."

"I can't believe I said those things." Tears streamed from the woman's eyes. "I can't believe I said Shiki was the East Blue's problem now."

"Xiao?" Chopper blinked, his eyes on a conch shell in the girl's hand. "Where did you get that?"

"This?" The girl raised the shell, allowing the crew to recognize Shiki's Tone Dial. "I found it nearby with this ring and snail."

"May we see those, Xiao?" Coby asked, the native passing him the shell, snail, and golden band. Though he held the shell and baby den-den, the Zoan handed the wedding band to his captain.

"Go ahead," Luffy muttered, cradling the ring. "Play it."

"I love you, Luffy, and I'm sorry." The captain's pupils shrunk at the sound of his wife's voice, his grip tightening. "If nothing else, I wanted you to hear that."

"What the Hell is this?"

"We should listen to the whole thing, Captain," Robin insisted.

"Whichever woman just told you to listen is right, Luffy," the recording continued, Luffy blinking owlishly. "Don't give me that look. I know you better than you do." The recording of Nami sighed. "And I'm so, so sorry. Joining Shiki seems to be the only way to save you and our homes. He... Shiki's agreed to leave our home islands alone and give you all a free pass to run. I... I don't know how I'll make it." There was a pause. "I hope you can forgive me, Luffy. Go find another navigator. Go find some way to live without me. If you can, that will make one of us.

"Shiki's taking me to his palace at the highest point of the islands. He's a legendary pirate who fought the Pirate King himself. Don't come because _I_ don't think you can win, but... If you feel the same way I do, then come prove me wrong, and save me from the darkness again... I love you, Luffy. Goodbye."

Though it was small, Luffy let a smile grow. He recognized that tone in her voice.

"Guys," he began, his smile widening. "Get ready. We're going on a rescue mission." Cheering filled the clearing. "If we're doing this, we're doing it without holding back. Everyone, I'm lifting the ban. The Golden Lion dies tonight."

"One moment, Captain," Robin stated, holding up a finger. "If we wish to crash their party, you must know that there is a dress code. After all, Death comes well-dressed."

* * *

Shiki slowly approached the ring of Daft Green trees that surrounded his palace, frowning under his gas mask. Dr. Indigo's message was, unfortunately, correct. The older pirate stopped before two men, also in gas masks, as they held down his new navigator in the piling snow. The East Blue native was dressed in a black dress, but her beauty was marred by the green spots that grew over her face and arms, the onset of Daft. Letting is eyes wander, Shiki took note of the dynamite placed at the bases of the nearby trees.

"Going to use my own plan against me, Babydoll?" the pirate frowned. "I guess that's why you joined my crew in the first place. How... disappointing. I agreed to your conditions. Why?"

"You never intended to keep our deal," Nami scowled, panting. "My hometown burning. My friends grieving the loss of their loved ones. I won't let that happen!"

Though she couldn't see his scowl behind the mask, Nami could feel it as the pirate grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground.

"You should've been more patient. I was going to leave your sister alone." Shiki shoved Nami into a tree, the young woman letting out a cry of pain that got louder as the Daft spots grew. "Jiiihahaha. I guess you underestimated how powerful the poison of the Daft Greens is. A real pirate doesn't blubber on about family or home. Pathetic."

Tossing her into the air, Nami was suspended by two dozen steel rods stabbing the ground, none of them injuring her. They did, however, lock her in place.

"Either way, you still show a lot of potential. If you're fortunate enough to survive until the end of the general assembly, I'll gladly take you as my navigator again. After all, I've got a soft spot for feisty women. Jiiihahaha JIIIHAHAHA!" He turned, walking back to the palace.

"L... Luffy."

* * *

Shiki scowled as Indigo's shoes... not so much ruined as faltered the mood of his triumph. The serving of the ceremonial sake was almost finished, his 50 pirate captains all just waiting for the grand moment of their victory. Finally, Indigo finished pouring the final cup. Shiki stood.

"Not that I need to remind you, but the East Blue is the weakest and most expendable of the six seas. Though it will be mourned, there is nothing in it to be missed, so be as thorough with your carnage as you want." Grabbing his own, larger saucer, Shiki raised it, the other pirates mirroring him. "This is the birth of the Golden Lion Pirate Fleet!"

"Captain Shiki!" The pirate froze, one eye twitching as one of his lackeys ran into the room.

"You're interrupting the ceremony," he frowned.

"I'm sorry, sir, but you need to hear this." Finally reaching his captain, the pirate whispered, "A large pirate ship with a straw hat jolly roger has landed on the grounds."

"Is that it? Don't waste my time and go kill them."

"Well, sir, we tried. They're here now."

"What?" Shiki hissed as glowing slashes cut one of the paper doors at the other end of the hall. Said door all but exploded inward, some blinding light obscuring the other side. Its pair was punctured by a foot, though that wasn't quite as memorable.

"No, Usopp," a voice said. "You gotta do it with flare."

"Wait! I'm still-!" The other door launched off its hinges, allowing more light in.. They'd managed to hack the speakers because an epic trumpet fanfare flared as they entered. The figure stuck in the door quickly freed itself, scurrying back to its peers. There were twelve of them in all, the group forming a semicircle inside the opening. Each was dressed in a black suit or a dark dress, several carrying large guns. From the light behind them walked their captain, his suit partially covered by a black captain's coat worn like a cape. It fluttered in the wind and Shiki couldn't help but snarl at the showing.

"So you want another round," Shiki muttered, replacing his cigar with a fresh one. "Color me surprised."

The Straw Hats did not answer, stepping forward until they made a ring in the center of the room.

"You're planning on attacking the East Blue," Luffy stated as his crew came to a stop.

"Yeah, so?"

"And Nami. She's ok?"

"Sure," Shiki smirked. "She's peachy." Shiki's goons around the room chuckled ominously.

"Something tells me he lies," Grace frowned.

"You don't say," Coby muttered with the same tone.

"Jiihaha. You sure put on a dangerous front. It was a nice show, I'll give you that, but surely the thirteen of you don't expect to walk out of here alive, do you?" As if on cue, the walls of the room collapsed inward, revealing all 50 of the crews Shiki had recruited, every one armed to the teeth and filling the first and second floors. "I thought only one of you would be stupid enough to try to sacrifice yourselves for your home. I guess it's a crew trait. You're a suicide squad."

"You're as dumb as you look," Luffy shot back. "We aren't a suicide squad, we're your Unlucky Thirteen. And Nami wouldn't sacrifice herself, moron. She joined your crew to attack from the inside!" On a cue of their own, every Straw Hat raised the guns they carried. "We won't lose the same fight twice, Shiki the Golden Lion!"

Just like that, chaos exploded as the East Blue pirate crew unloaded every piece of ammo they carried into the surrounding pirates, hundreds falling to their initial barrage.

"I'm out of ammo," Amy pouted, none of the Straw Hats fazed by the destruction and gore left behind by their first attack. Several of the crew had fired with deadly aim, at least their targets weren't screaming in pain.

"There's never enough ammo," Franky replied, tossing his empty cannon away.

"What a shame," Gin sighed, pulling out his tonfa. "I guess we'll have to get up close and personal."

"Usopp, Chopper, Grace, go look for Nami," Luffy ordered, throwing his coat and suit jacket off to reveal his blood-red button up. "I get the feeling she's somewhere near those threes around the palace. Coby, keep them safe."

"Right!"

"Kill them!" One of the surviving pirate captains yelled, the army surging forward. Luffy didn't bother to even look at them, his crewmates joining the chaos and throwing away anyone in front of their captain. Luffy's eyes were set on Shiki as he tried to move into a back room.

"Give me back my wife!" Luffy yelled, punching the legendary pirate. "What'd you do to Naaammmiiiii?!"

* * *

"Cretaceous Charge!"

"Firebird Star!"

"Colors Trap: Rainbow of Emotion!"

"Can you smell her, Chopper?" Usopp demanded through gritted teeth as another soldier burned away under an attack Usopp thought they would survive.

"No," the reindeer sniffed, shaking some poor impaled mook off his antlers.

"I can't blame you," Coby shouted, throwing Grace into the air, cutting down a trio of enemies, and catching her again in one motion. "The Daft Green around here is bad enough for me. I can't imagine how it is for you."

"Over there!" Grace yelled, pointing toward a light from a ring of trees.

"There she is!" Usopp confirmed. The group turned, charging toward the outskirts of the palace grounds. "Nami!"

The area exploded, the sonic wave blasting the Straw Hats backward. Coby was the first to recover, rushing forward with a wobbling charge toward their navigator. Nami laid on the snow, steel rods stuck in the ground around her. It was a miracle that the explosion only left her with minor burns, but that could be attributed to the stiffness of the Daft infection spreading across her skin.

"Wah!"

"Billy!" Chopper called, the gigafowl landing on the snow beside Nami. "Go find Luffy if you can!"

"Wah!"

"Let's get her out of here!" Coby ordered, passing the woman off to Usopp and Chopper before changing back into his Dino Mode. Grace grabbed his horns and swung on as he passed, several roars ripping through the snow behind them.

"Oh, shit!" Usopp cried, the four running from the incoming stampede of mutated animals. "That blast blew a hole in the barrier!"

"Colors Trap: Art is an Explosion!" Grace yelled, the land behind them exploding again. "Let's hope that worked."

"RAAAWWRRRRR!"

"I don't think it did!" Usopp screamed. The group ran inwards, rounding a corner and slamming a door as the monsters invaded the castle. Finding the coast clear after a couple minutes, the group tried to sneak back outside in search of the IQ laboratory.

"Well you maggots sure have made a mess of things." Shiki's voice gave the pirates pause, their gazes slowly turned to see him floating above them. "What a shame, Babydoll, but you made your choice. Lion's Threat: Imperial Lions!" Out of the snow around them rose a half-dozen giant lion heads, each channeling the wind into a deafening roar. "Now die!"

The lions rushed in before bursting one by one. The cause of this landed between the group and Shiki, the pink sheen of his skin a stark contrast to the white snow. Steam bellowed from his skin, casting an imposing image.

"How many times do I have to say this, Shiki?" Luffy questioned, cracking his knuckles. "Stay away from my crew." Keeping Shiki in his peripherals, Luffy glanced back at his friends as Billy landed beside him.

"L-Luffy," Nami smiled from Chopper's arms.

"Hey, everything will be just fine," he assured her. "Guys, go find a cure. I'll deal with Shiki."

"Give him Hell, Luffy!" Usopp called, already on the way out.

"It's just you and me now," Luffy stated. "I won't made the same mistakes twice. Let's dance."

 **End of Chapter 115**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	118. Rapid Evolution

**Chapter 116:**

 **Rapid Evolution**

"This is it," Chopper stated, shifting so Grace could melt the lock with her acid paint. "It smells of chemicals." The room inside mirrored a greenhouse of sorts, the right side made of glass and the left concrete. Every tray bore some kind of spherical, pink-and-white plant. While most of them were planted in dirt, several were uprooted and soaking in some dark pink fluid. The group entered the room carefully, Usopp carrying the navigator.

"It looks like they're using the moonlight to grow these plants," Chopper observed. "Based on what Nami was able to tell us and what we know of the animals, it can be theorized that these IQ plants act like my Rumble Balls do, but for all creatures."

"Huh, neat," Grace shrugged, understanding, while Coby blinked in confusion. Chopper's nose twitched.

"This way!" They followed the doctor up a short flight of stairs and into an upper room. A shelf-desk wrapped around the wall, covered in notes and chemicals. Other shelves and cabinets littered the walls, filled with chemicals of all kinds.

"Piro-piro-piro!"

"Who's there?" Coby demanded, his swords following the sound. On a ledge above them sat a clown.

"Impressive," Indigo complemented. "I wasn't expecting anyone for several more minutes. Not after I lost that green-haired swordsman in the halls."

"Are you Shiki's head scientist?" Chopper asked.

"Indeed I am! Doctor Indigo, at your service."

"Give us the cure for Daft, now!" Grace ordered.

"Oh? You mean this?" Indigo pulled a tiny vial of purple fluid from his coat before throwing it behind him. "Oops! My finger slipped. Piro-piro-piro!"

"Bastard!" Coby growled.

"Usopp, Coby," Chopper muttered. "Take care of him. Grace and I will synthesize a cure from his notes."

"Right! Gunpowder Star!" Usopp's pellet covered the area Indigo had just occupied, the clown flipping away from the smoke.

"Adrenaline Amber," Grace whispered, marking her design on Coby's neck.

"Let's go, Doc!" Coby growled, shifting into his Hybrid form. "Five Point Style: Meteor Swords!" The clown dodged again, Coby and Usopp corralling him out of the room and away from Chopper, Grace, and Nami and into the greenhouse. "72 Caliber Phoenix!"

"Chemical Juggling!" Indigo cried, intercepting the flying slashes with will-o-the-wisps of green flame with a purple center. "Watch it, you oafs! These IQ plants have more worth than your pathetic sea!"

"Oh really?" Usopp smirked, grabbing a nearby IQ plant. "IQ Star!"

"Nonono!" Indigo cried, trying to catch the plants he could. They were moving too fast, however, and the majority splattered on the walls and floor. Eying the ruined plants, the clown's form trembled.

"You know, what's one greenhouse in the grand scheme of KILLING YOU BAFOONS?! Chemical Juggling!" The same will-o-the-wisps from before grew from Indigo's gloves, forming an arc over his head before the mad doctor launched them at the pirates. Coby and Usopp tried to intercept, but there were just too many, the chemical balls exploding. Green fire licked at the tables and plants just outside the smoke.

"HA! Let's see you survive the power of my Chemical-Chemical Fruit, East Blue trash! Piro-piro-piro!"

"Cretaceous Charge!"

"Gah!" Indigo jumped at the yell, reacting as quickly as he could to the charging triceratops coming for him. "Mass Juggling Flame!" A massive flame grew from the clown's hands too quickly for Coby to dodge, not that he would have had anywhere to turn in the isle between tables. The attack exploded underneath him, launching the Ancient Zoan to his left side and into a table of juiced IQ while sending his swords in the opposite direction. "One down, several to go."

"Coby!" Usopp yelled. "You bastard! Firebird Star!"

The battle between Usopp and Indigo reached Coby in a muffled haze through the ringing in his ears. He felt heavier than he was use to. Carefully, the Zoan lifted one hand to rub his head, but was surprised to find that he didn't touch skin or scales, but flat horn. Trying to shake the dizziness away, Coby turned, catching a glimpse of himself in the glass.

He'd gained weight, his form a squatter version of his Hybrid Mode. Bone plates now ran along the outsides of his arms and legs and down the entirety of his back like armor, leaving his front bare. The bone plates on his back sported dozens of small spines that promised traction and pain. The most notable change was in his face, his forehead horns now bending to frame his face while the horn on his nose was flat, shaped up toward his forehead and over his cheekbones like a mask. More bone grew over his crown, its edges rough and dangerous. Finally, his tail had grown four spikes, two on each side. All in all, he now looked like a cross between a triceratops, an ankylosaurus, and a tank.

"I don't know what the Hell just happened," Coby rumbled, his voice deeper than he was use to, "but I don't really care. Like Zoro-sensei says, trust your gut. I'll call this Armor Mode. Rolling Tank!"

Indigo was so focused on Usopp, he was unprepared to be bowled over by a spinning ball of bone and meat, Coby's new form steamrolling over him and plowing into the opposite wall.

"That might have been a bad idea," the rosette groaned, upside down with his back stuck in the concrete.

"Mother of Mercury!" Indigo swore, pushing himself to his feet. "What...? Oh I see. How interesting!"

"You wanna tell us what's going on?" Usopp asked.

"Whyever not?" the clown laughed. "You'll be dead soon anyway. It seems the IQ reacts with the animal DNA present in Zoan Fruits, causing the user to mutate like the animals of these islands. Fascinating! I wonder if it affects the user only or the Fruit itself." His eyes narrowed. "I'll keep you for future study."

"Like Hell you will!" Coby and Usopp yelled. Coby tried to change form to free himself for the wall, and he did, but he was unfamiliar with the form he became.

His next form was taller than the previous, rivaling Brook in height. While tall, his limbs became shorter and wider, thin upper arms leading to buff lower arms and hands with thick, clawed fingers. His horns now twisted clockwise, obscuring some of his vision as their points met in front of his forehead. His tail was now wide and flat and his crown covered the top of his head like a helmet.

"Uh... Drill Mode! Spiral Horn!" Using his jump-and-spin maneuver perfected over months of practice with his Five Point Style, Coby threw himself at Shiki's right-hand man. Indigo tried to block the Zoan, a thick, gelatinous mix of chemicals ballooning out of his gloves, but Coby's twisted horns drilled through the defense and bloodied the doctor's hands before he could jump away.

"What a pain in the ass," Indigo muttered, tossing his red-stained gloves away and pulling out an orange vial. The clown splashed its contents over his hands, the solution closing and healing his wounds instantly before he pulled on a fresh pair of gloves. "Now-"

"Firebird Star!"

"I'd almost forgotten about you," Indigo scowled, Usopp's attack exploding against a ball of chemical fire. The resulting smoke cleared to show Indigo pointing at Usopp. "Magnesium Firework."

An arrow of fire launched from the scientist's finger, flying at the sniper with a sparkling WEEEEEEEE. Upon contact, the arrow exploded into its namesake. Usopp felt his skin burning as the force launched him backward. Indigo only had time to smirk before having to jump away from Coby's raking claws.

"Chemical Juggling!"

"Carving Paw!" Moving as fast as he could, Coby used his claws to slice or redirect the chemical spheres, more than a few slamming into his tough hide. Willing himself to go faster, Coby felt himself change once more.

Coby's limbs rapidly thinned, increasing in speed as his claws lengthened. His horns changed once more, the two on his forehead shrinking until they were basically nonexistent while the other grew thin like a needle. His body became lithe with wirey muscle while long needles of bone grew from his elbows and knees. His tail shifted from flat to long, ending in a painful-looking barb that swished, cutting through the air. His feet narrowed, slicing the ground with four claws each. Finally, his crown curved backward slightly, covering the top half of his hair.

"Slasher Mode: Prehistoric Ripper!" Tensing his legs, Coby shot toward their foe, his nails slashing chemical balls in half as he danced his way around them in mere seconds. Reaching the Golden Lion pirate, the rosette brought his claws over the clown's torso, carving three cuts across the doctor's chest. Indigo stumbled, one hand idly coming up to feel his own blood. Frowning, the doctor spewed a black chemical the sizzled on the floor, eating away at the tables and concrete while forcing Coby back.

"So this is it, huh? What a shame. I was so looking forward to seeing Captain Shiki rule the world. Chemical Juggling: Hydrogen Death!" Raising his hands, Indigo began gathering his attack, a ball of blue fire that rapidly expanded, but before it could come to fruition, the pirate felt a chill spread from his heart. Looking down, Indigo saw a scalpel, still quivering, embedded in his chest. "Wha-?"

"Stay the Hell away from my home," Usopp hissed. Indigo's attack, unfinished, dissipated into the surrounding air as the doctor fell to his knees.

"I'm sorry, Captain Shiki..." Indigo cried, a single tear rolling down his cheek. With that, Doctor Indigo closed his eyes for the last time and crumpled.

"Wow," Coby breathed after a moment. "How are you holding up, Usopp?" Coby turned to see the sniper with his face buried in a nearly-empty bag of potting soil, wretching. Coby couldn't blame him. This was probably the first time Usopp had aimed to kill.

"That's it!" Chopper and Grace yelled from the upper room. Coby's new form scaled the stairs in less than a second, reaching the doorway as Chopper tipped a vial's contents into Nami's mouth. Almost immediately, her breathing eased and her eyes opened.

"You did it," the rosette smiled, Grace tensing at the sound. "I knew you could." The girl turned to see Coby as his Slasher Mode faded into his human form.

"You're the one that bought us the time we needed," the redhead deflected, her cheeks rosy.

"And I'd do it again a thousand times."

"Dinosauric dork."

"I'm so glad Luffy and I skipped the flirting stage."

"Nami!" The teens all dogpiled the poor navigator as Usopp hobbled into the room.

"Easy! Easy!" she pleaded. "Not so tight!"

* * *

The fighting continued to rage throughout the palace, the animals of Merivelle adding another layer of chaos. The bodies of slain pirates and animals littered the compound, though none belonged to the members of a certain East Blue crew.

Robin coughed as the paralyzing powder of the giant moths she'd just killed started to override her motor functions.

"Shit," she hissed, her arms going numb. "I need to find someone."

Something massive crashed behind her, Robin just managing to turn as Shiki's gorilla came into her few. Snatching her up in one paw, the gorilla punched his way out of the room and into the snowstorm outside.

* * *

"Kyahahaha!" Amy laughed, her umbrella deflecting bullets and swords alike. "Now this is a party!"

"You're telling me!" Gin laughed, bashing in another pirate's face and shocking their heart into cardiac arrest.

"Yohoho! Indeed! All this excitement rattles my bones!"

"Three-Mast Galleon!" Merry backflipped away from her now-unconscious foe, completing the back-to-back square of pirates as their opponents surrounded them once more. Channeling her inner Gin and Luffy, Merry cracked her knuckles. "Let's show these mooks who the real bosses are around here!"

 **End of Chapter 116**

* * *

 **High Seas Hijinks:**  
 **Love is in the Paint (part 2)**

 **(Set after Skypia)**

Coby had learned early on in his time with the Straw Hat Pirates that crazy was absolutely normal and that everything should be expected. Climbing down from the crow's nest after evening duty, the one thing his did not expect was to see a shorter redhead giggling to herself as if waiting for something. Coby sighed.

"Who is it this time?"

Grace jumped, having not heard him approach. Despite her face trying to match her hat in shade of pink, the girl smirked around a rice cracker.

"Let's just say our dear captain might be down a shirt."

"Oh no..." Closing his eyes for a second and sending a silent prayer to the One True Goda for mercy, the Zoan turned toward the figurehead where his rubber captain was staring out over the sea, blissfully unaware of the pink paint that stained the back of his shirt. As Coby watched, his teacher began a slow trek toward the teen. "No, Zoro-sensei! Don't!"

"Oi! Luffy!" Zoro called, not noticing or not caring about the paint. "The witch, I mean, your girlfriend's yelling for you."

"Oh? Thanks, Zoro." Luffy seemed to turn in slow motion. Coby almost tried to shrink into himself in preparation while Grace got more excited at the idea of the upcoming chaos. Luffy's eyes landed on Zoro.

...

...

. . .

...And nothing happened. One could tell the paint was having some effect by the way the captain slid off Merry's figure rather than jumping or bouncing, but his only showing for any affection toward the swordsman was a slightly-uncharacteristic pat on his arm. Luffy strode across the deck without his usual bouceyness, patting or side-hugging every crewmember he passed. Reaching the two younger teens, each of Luffy's rubber arms wrapped around each one, pulling them into his sides.

"I love you guys," Luffy mumbled. "You're the best Nakama I could've asked for." Releasing them after one more squeeze, the captain turned around and started up toward the upper deck.

"Is it just me," Gin began with a waver in his voice, "or is Don Luffy acting weird?"

"Luffy's always been touchy-feely," Usopp waved off, his chemistry set spread out before him.

"Not that I'm for your scheme, Grace," Coby began, "but are you sure you mixed that paint right?"

"I'm certain," Grace answered with a cute pout, digging a list out of her pocket and checking over it. "And I added extra endorphins because it was Luffy, but why doesn't it have any effect?"

"Oh, my beautiful mellorienes~!" Sanji sang, exiting the kitchen with a platter of desserts. "I've made you all something special from the bottom of my heart!"

"Why thank you, Mr. Cook," Robin said, taking the snack from the blond. Next to her, Amy reached for her own. "I believe Ms. Navigator is somewhere on the upper deck."

"Thank you, Robin-dearest~!" Sanji noodled toward the stairs only to freeze a second before reaching the first step. Nami's voice echoed across the ship.

"No, Luffy! We can't do that here!"

"Wait, what?" Nearly everyone floundered, a puff of purple smoke engulfing Usopp's head as he dropped his chemicals. His coughing echoed across the silent deck.

"Come on, Nami!" Luffy's voice whined. "Just real quick?"

"No, Luffy! Last time you couldn't control yourself and almost damaged the trees!"

"We won't get too wild!" the captain argued. "You don't like being pressed against stuff anyways! We'll stay away from the trees!"

"What does that bastard think he's doing?" Sanji demanded, taking only one step before Gin had him pinned in a full nelson, Sanji still impossibly balancing his tray. His visible eye caught fire, threatening to burn his hair. "Let me at him! I'll teach him some manners!"

"I said no," Nami stated. "You might usually be on the bottom, but you can't control your arms. You'll still hit the trees."

"Then pin them like you did last time."

"Oh Goda," Zoro face heated up in a rare showing of emotion, this time embarrassment. "Are they talking about..."

"So it seems," Amy chuckled over Robin's quiet laughter. "I knew Luffy was a bottom."

"That's not the issue here!" Coby complained, Grace still as a statue beside him with her eyes as wide as saucers. This prank had spiraled way too far.

"Come on, Nami." Now the crew could hear the pouty face Luffy had to have. "We haven't fed each other tangerines since after that Rainbow Fog stuff!"

"Rainbow Mist," Nami corrected. "And none of these tangerines are ripe yet!"

Usopp blinked. "Wait. So they aren't talking about _that?"_

"It appears not," Robin waved off. "My apologies, Ms. Goldenweek. It seems your Love Paint does not affect the captain the way you had intended."

"I..." Grace muttered. "I just wanted to mess with the captain. I didn't think things would get that awkward."

"In what world does eating tangerines involve being on the bottom and pinning arms?" Usopp demanded.

"At least it wasn't me this time," Gin commented, rubbing his forehead.

"Aww, come on, Gin," Amy teased. "I thought you and Sanji looked cute together."

"We don't speak of that!" both Gin and Sanji roared in tandem, Zoro letting out a bark of laughter.

"At least you can improve?" Coby tried, awkwardly trying to console the redhead.

"I'd rather not," Grace responded as pleased moans started making themselves known from somewhere in the trees. It appeared Nami had found a ripe fruit and Luffy got his way. At least, Grace hoped that was the case. "I think I'll forget about pink for a while..."

 **Fin.**

* * *

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 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	119. Gorilla Warfare

**I'm not sorry for all the puns.**

 **Chapter 117:**  
 **Gorilla Warfare**

"Yohohoho!" Brook laughed, dancing through ranks of enemy pirates. Bullets and swords tore at his suit, but no damage marred his flesh... because he didn't have any! Even so, these poor pirates were no match for the four Straw Hats that stood their ground in what had been the meeting room.

"Thunder Wave!" Gin yelled, crashing his tonfa together. The resulting pressure wave was (as Franky would've put it) super effective, charged with electricity, paralyzing more than a dozen pirates that had charged him.

"Rubble Bullets!" Amy cried, covering the man's back. The rubble she had picked up and thrown absorbed the air around it, gaining 150 kilograms before impacting a trio of pirates like buckshot, throwing them across the room.

"You don't need to cover my back," Gin reminded her, only half focusing on the woman whose sword he blocked. "Attacks go right through me."

Amy placed herself back-to-back with the Logia, facing away so he couldn't see her red face. "What, I can't protect my crewmate, now?" she questioned, opening her parasol to block a barrage of gunshots. "Dense Shield!"

"Th-That's not what I said at all!" Pushing the blocked sword up, the Electric Devil bashed his opponent in the side with his gold-plated weapons. "Don't put words in my mouth!"

"Yeah," Merry agreed, an unconscious mook trapped in her rope having become an improvised flail. "Just put your tongue in it and save us all the drama!"

"Merry!" the two yelled. A bullet passed through Gin's face, but he was too shocked to notice.

"BAAHAHAHA!"

"Yohohoho!" Brook laughed, cutting his way back over. "Shall I play a ballad for you two? Maybe 'Here Comes the Bride'?" he asked, aiming an invisible wink at the female of the pair.

"I think you should start a funeral dirge," a new voice commented. The few low-level pirates that remained parted for a trio, two men and a woman. Their presence outshown any of their previous enemies that night. The man who spoke was bald, scars littering his skin. Muscle bulged from under his suit and a battleax poked out from behind his back.

"And who are you?" Amy asked, using the tip of her parasol to carve a trench in the floor as a show of power.

"We're your opponents," the woman rumbled. She was heavyset in a pink dress. The word LOVE was tattooed across her forehead with the O X'ed out. Framing this and her rough face spilled curly, purple hair. In her hand she brandished a giant warhammer. "They call me Hammerfall Guarin. I've got a bounty of 45 million."

"She speaks the truth," the other man smiled, holding a rose up to his lips. He was incredibly handsome with wavy, light-blue hair and emerald eyes. His suit was a fashionable red-and-black tuxedo with long coattails. He bowed with a flourish and a wink. "Please, the Marines call me Razor Petal Hanabira. My sharp wit has earned me a bounty of 61 million."

"And I'm Minos the Raging Bull," the first man said, the top half of his body shifting into a black bull with massive arms and deadly horns. "40 million."

"OH, OH! Can I do our introductions?" Merry asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Pleeeease?"

"Sure, whatever," Gin waved off.

"Yes," Merry cheered before striking a pose with two fingers held up in a V. "First off, I'm Ghost Ship Going Merry worth 15 million! The skeleton behind me is the Humming Swordsman Brook worth 33 million! The beautiful blonde you see is worth 28 million to the Government, miss Weightless Woman Amy! And the big man of the room, in more ways than one~"

"Merry!" Gin flushed. "What the Hell?!"

"-is our very own Electric Devil Gin with a bounty of 100 million!" she finished. "And Gin, I know everything about everyone from before Enies Lobby. For instance, I know that Amy keeps a vi-"

"Shut your mouth or I'll shut it permanently," the blonde growled, grabbing the Klabautermann before she could react.

"Besides the Logia, this'll be a piece of cake," Guarin chuckled. "I'll take the squirt and the skeleton. Minos, get the girl. Hanabira, get baggy eyes. We'll join you when we finish."

"You sound pretty confident," Gin stated, sparks crackling over his tonfa. "Let's show these bastards why we're going to be the crew of the Pirate King!"

"MOOOO!" Minos roared, charging the group. They jumped, separating to avoid the Zoan while Gin shot at him with finger guns. The condensed lightning bullets bounced off the bull's tough skin as he skidded to a stop, turned, and charged Amy.

"Razor Petals!" Gin jumped instinctively as rigid rose petals stabbed into the ground where he had been standing. He looked up to see Hanabira approaching him, his rose looking much more solid. "I shall be your foe. Let us see if you can overcome the powers of my Sharp-Sharp Fruit!"

"Yohoho!" Brook chuckled, taking a battle stance. "That leaves us, mademoiselle."

"We're gonna kick your ass!" Merry rushed the woman who swung her hammer. Merry smirked as the weapon reached her, destabilizing into her Heart just as the weapon hit. For all intents, it appeared as if the hammer went through her head before the Klabautermann reformed. "Battering Ram!"

Merry's smirk died slowly as she registered pain from her horns. It felt like she had headbutted a brick wall. A hand grabbed one of her horns, lifting the girl up until she was eye-to-eye with the woman.

"I'll finish you off first, annoying brat."

"Adubade Right-Hand Strike!" Brook cut in, his flying stab forcing Guarin to release his youngest crewmate. "You need to be more careful than that, Merry. Do try to bring out more Robin next time."

"Sorry, Brook," the Klabautermann muttered sheepishly. She turned back to their opponent, her entire countenance shifting. Copying Chopper, Merry brought her hands up so she could see Guarin through her pointer fingers and thumbs. "Analyze."

"Yohoho! Have at thee!" Brook launched forward, his cane-sword being intercepted by the woman's hammer before it could reach her neck.

"You're strong for having no muscle," she grunted, shoving his sword away. Brook stepped back, the wind from her weapon sending his afro into a frenzy. "Bone Crush!"

"Oh my!" The skeleton jumped, dodging her powerful swings with his lighter form. "That should could knock the breath out of me... if I had to breathe! Yohoho! Skull joke!"

"Her style focuses mostly on offence," Merry muttered to herself, "but her weapon's pole has plenty of scratches from defense. It's almost overbalanced, but she counters that with her thick skin. The best way to counter her would be to tie her up so she can't use her strength or cut her ligaments so she can't move." Taking a breath, Merry jumped backward as Minos tried to steamroll her.

"Your fight is with me, bullshit!" Amy yelled, flying past Merry in the Bull Zoan's wake. "5,000 kilogram Kick!"

"Get 'im, Amy!" Merry cheered before charging Guarin as she caught Brook in the sternum. She launched the musician away as Merry fell into a baseball skid, sliding under her while weaving rope around her ankles. Grabbing the ropes so they would pull taught, the ship-girl reversed her momentum into a kick to the woman's head. The pirate captain tried to stumble, but it was a vain attempt with her feet being yanked the other way. "Timber!"

"Cheeky bra-!" Hammerfall Gaurin hit the matted floor with a thump. Grabbing her weapon and pulling her legs up, the pirate twisted, smacking Merry before she could react. Brook snatched the Klabautermann out of the air, spinning her momentum away.

"Dammit, that's becoming a habit," the girl frowned.

"Yohoho, then you need to stop getting thrown."

"It's not my fault I'm small!"

"Why don't we attack together, Merry?" Brook offered as Gaurin tore apart the ropes holding her. "She's dangerous to us alone. Her last attack knocked me out of my body, literally! I'll take the right, you take the left."

"Works for me." As one unit, Merry and Brook moved to form a pincer maneuver. "Woven Whips!"

"Gavotte Leap Forward!"

"Thorn Throw!" Merry and Brook cut off their attacks as massive thorns missed them by a hair's breadth. Gin materialized next to them, blood leaking from a wound hidden in his hair. His opponent, Hanabira, landed next to Guarin soundlessly, a rubber sword as sharp as a real one in hand.

"How are you faring, Lady Guarin?" the sharpening-man asked, flicking Gin's blood from the sword.

"Fuckin' peachy," she grunted, the two of them the antithesis of each other.

"You ok, Gin?" Merry questioned.

"I've had worse," he answered, "though not since eating my Fruit."

"As you can see," Hanabira bragged, running a finger along the flat of his blade with the sound of a whetstone, "my powers allow me to sharpen anything into a fine point or blade. My study of such weapons has been extensive. Uncouth bludgeoning weapons are simply no match against me."

"Who you calling uncouth, bastard," his female ally growled.

"Certainly not a beauty like yourself," Hanabira answered. "I'm simply saying that the only one of these pirates who could hope to best me is the undead swordsman, but his bounty is far lower than my own.

"I say, you have much more class than any of the animals here on this island," Brook complemented. "Your companions included."

"I'll grind your bones into bread," Guarin muttered darkly. "Felling Hammer!" Rushing in, the woman swung her hammer at the three Straw Hats. Brook leapt over the weapon while Merry ducked. Gin tried to faze around the blow, but was in for a nasty surprise when the attack blew him away. "I've fought enough Devil Fruit users to know to set Sea Prism Stone into my weapons, moron."

"Oooowwww," Gin grumbled, just having enough awareness of his surroundings to flip over Minos as he sped past, electrocuting him through his thick skin.

"10,000 Kilogram Press!" Amy yelled, cratering the floor between Guarin and Hanabira. The two pirates just managed to get out of the way before her parasol struck Guarin in the side, batting her away. Amy followed, yelling "Back off!"

Brook and Merry glanced at each other from the corners of their eyes... or Merry got the feeling Brook did the same thing she did. They shrugged together.

"I suppose we are your foes at the moment," Brook announced, running toward the man. Hanabira did not answer, swinging his rose. A half-dozen of the flower's petals detached, soaring toward the skeleton. Brook leapt to the side, several volleys of these sharpened floura coming for him as he approached. "Gavotte Forward Leap!"

Hanabira raised his sword, the weapon parrying Brook's jab. He stepped backwards, hastily avoiding the undead's swordplay.

"Your bounty may be higher than my own," Brook intoned, keeping the young man's eyes on him, "but I've had almost 90 years to perfect my swordplay."

Sensing an opportunity, Hanabira slashed, his sword separating Brook's skull from his neck. As the skeleton's form slumped, Merry appeared just behind it, catching the flesh-and-blood pirate wide open.

"Sinking Ax!" Merry shouted, coming out of a front flip. Her extended heel caught her foe in the collarbone, crumpling him. He opened his eyes painfully, now on the floor.

"Yohohoho!" Brooks skull laughed in front of him, a dangerous gleam in his eye socket. "Farewell."

Hanabira's eyes widened as a coldness grew from his stomach. He began to black out as Brook removed his sword from the man's back, blood pooling under him. Merry picked up Brook's skull as the musician's body wiped the blood from his sword.

"The Zoro inside me says that was dishonorable," the Klabautermann sighed, handing him his head. "The Robin, Usopp, and Mrs. Nami in me are cheering."

"'Twas not a fatal blow," Brook waved off, replacing his skull. "Not if he has any willpower, that is. Shall we assist our companions?"

"Go help Gin with the minotaur. I'll end the cat fight over there."

* * *

"Where the Hell did that clown go?" Zoro demanded, rounding a corner into the middle of a long stretch of corridor with no door or hallway behind him. The snowstorm that raged outside the castle blew his short hair. Sensing something was off, the unmistakable grunting and howls of a gorilla reached him a second later. Taking a couple steps to the railing in front of him, Zoro took in the courtyard and the tower just beyond.

"OHH OOH OH!"

"LIKE HELL YOU'RE GOING GOING TO MARRY ROBIN, YOU DAMN DIRTY APE!" Sanji roared from the courtyard, fires of passion melting the snow around him. Zoro followed his eyes to see a pink gorilla on top of the tower, Robin clutched in one hand. The swordsman's eyes narrowed, silently agreeing with the chef.

"Help," Robin got out, still paralyzed from her battle with the giant moths.

Said chef, still burning, took to a length of rope tying the center of the tower to an unloading point on the ground. A baboon wielding a pair of nunchucks tried to slide down the rope, but was cut in half by Zoro's 32 Caliber Phoenix before it could get far. Sanji entered the tower, lights flashing from the windows marking his progress upward. The cook exploded from the top of the tower in a spray of rubble, his fire-wrapped leg on a course with the gorilla. The gorilla's empty fist came up attempting to block the pirate, but it was unprepared for the red-hot kick that burned and broke its middle finger.

"OOHH!" the gorilla cried, realing. Sanji spun overhead, building momentum.

"Consassé!" the chef yelled, bringing his leg down on the gorilla's face. The ape crashed through the ceiling of the tower and through every level of stairs before coming to rest on the ground floor. Robin, having been released from the monkey's hold as soon as the final blow was struck, still had trouble moving on account of the moths' paralysis.

"I've got you, Robin-chwan!" Sanji called, leaping from the tower to catch the woman in midair, only for her to vanish.

"You good, Robin?" Zoro asked from the grass, holding her in a princess carry.

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Swordsman."

"ZORO YOU BASTARD!" the blond spit out before falling to the ground in a poor, undignified heap. The snow around him melted and steamed.

"Oh dear," Robin giggled, allowing Zoro to help her stand. "I wonder what is bothering him?"

"Shitty mosshead," she cook cried.

"Everyone get inside!" Nami's voice ordered, dragging their attention to the railing where the navigator and those who had been sent to look for her stood. "There's going to be a cyclone and I'm going to direct this ship straight into it!"

 **End of Chapter 117**

* * *

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	120. Battle for the East Blue

**Chapter 118:**

 **Battle for the East Blue**

"You're really getting on my last nerves," Shiki frowned, eyeing the behatted rookie before him. Steam refracted the pink gloss of Luffy's skin as Second Gear continued to speed up his blood flow. "Why don't you keel over like a good little dog and die?"

"Because you threatened my home, my crew, and my wife," Luffy answered. "For that insult, you'll pay with your life."

"JIIIHAHAHA! You fool! We are in completely different classes!" Bringing up his hands, Shiki's arms began to reflect the pink shine as they were covered in a black substance. "You should feel honored, Straw Hat; I'm breaking an oath from long ago just for you. I'd vowed to never use Haki on an opponent so far beneath me, much less a single pirate from Paradise, but you seem to be an exception for far too much."

"Blah blah blah," Luffy waved, eyes shadowed by his hat. Was Shiki seeing things, or was the snow bending around him? "Can we get on with this? I want to kill you before going home and sleeping with my wife."

"You insolent worm!" Shiki shouted, insulted. "Lion's Threat: Imperial Lions!"

"Let's go, Billy!" Luffy yelled, the gigafowl swooping low for the teen to grab on just before the snow lions could impact. Shiki growled and gave chase, hovering behind the rookie and bird as they tried to run. With that, their fight became an aerial battle covering the entire island.

"Jet Pistol!

"Slashing Waves!"

Luffy's attack struck home, driving the older pirate into and through a floating plateau. The raven-haired pirate had no chance to capitalized on it, however, his mount taking evasive maneuvers to dodge the flying slashes Shiki had kicked at them, said slashed proving their edge by cleanly cutting though some floating island debris.

"Go, Billy! Let's see if lightning works!"

"Wah!" The gigafowl banked, approaching Shiki as the floating pirate exploded from the rock. Billy launched a bolt of electricity toward the ruler of the floating islands, but the man backhanded the attack with his black-clad hand. The act taking them by surprised, Luffy was unprepared for the blond to launch himself toward them, grabbing Luffy by the throat and pulling him from Billy's back. Shiki turned, slamming Straw Hat into the rocks beside them.

"You're power is nothing against mine," the older man hissed, the younger clawing at the hand chocking him. He couldn't move his throat, Shiki's hand cutting off Luffy's breath like it would any other person. "I will take everything you love. It's a shame you won't be alive to see it."

Luffy's eyes hardened, black lightning sprouting from his fingers as he began to pry Shiki's hands away. He managed a good breath before the legend's hold redoubled.

"Oh no you don't, Straw Hat. I want to watch the hope leave your eyes right here."

"Wah!" Shiki did not expect the electric shock or the 200-pound bird that slammed into his back. Luffy, being immune to electricity, took full advantage of his foe's loss of focus, pulling one of Shiki's hands away while the other grabbed the steering wheel stuck in the man's head and twisted. Finally free, Luffy went into freefall before Billy caught him, soaring a good distance before Shiki recovered.

"Stupid guitar," said pirate growled as he began to give chase once more, exchanging long-range attacks with the East Blue native and his mount. Billy flew like a giant, mutated bird possessed, leading Shiki toward the edge of the island before banking around the floating waters.

"Slashing Wave!" Shiki shouted, his attack cutting several tons of water from the rest of the faux ocean. Taking control of that, the older pirate let a superior smirk spread over his face. Billy had no time to dodge, the liquid breaking into cubes that dwarfed the fighters before condensing on top of him. Shiki watched, grinning, as his opponents struggled within the water, Luffy's Second Gear ending.

"That must be a pretty miserable death for a Devil Fruit user," Shiki laughed. "Don't worry, I'll make sure your wife and friends join you soon enough... if they aren't dead already. Maybe I'll keep one or two of them for myself, for testing purposes, of course. JIIIHAHAHA!"

BADA-BADA-BADUP... BADA-BADA-BADA-BADUP... BADA-calick

 _"Navigation to Captain Shiki!"_ the voice of the man's head navigator yelled through the snail in the captain's hand. _"Come in, Captain! It's urgent!"_

"What is it?"

 _"Captain Shiki! There's a cyclone coming in! We need to turn toward the east!"_ Shiki turned, gazing out in the direction his navigator had given.

"An afro?" Shiki gaped, the black clouds growing in the distance.

 _"No, captain! A cyclone!"_

"Just what I needed," the pirate sighed, hanging up the snail. Taking his time, the pirate turned the islands toward the east as his prisoner starting to suffocate in the watery trap. "I don't have the time to watch you drown, unfortunately. Farewell, boy." Kicking with his swords, the legendary pirate sent a dozen flying slashes into the liquid prison.

Luffy had just enough wherewithal to grab Billy as the attack tore through the water, Falling to an island below with a silent scream. Shiki laughed at the immobile form of Straw Hat Luffy below, the gigafowl grieving for him, until a strong wind pulled at his clothing. Turning east, stormclouds began to swirl. Concerned, the legendary pirate flew back toward his palace.

It was silent for only a minute, the howling winds filling the void between floating islands.

"Hey, Billy," Luffy grunted. "Can you still fly?"

"WAAHHHH!"

"That's what I like to hear!" the captain nodded, forcing himself to stand with a battle cry. "That bastard is going to pay! Let's go catch him with his guard down!" Flying upwards, the pair passed Shiki in a dozen seconds, disappearing into the stormclouds.

"He's still alive?" the old pirate snarled. He moved to give chase.

"Shiki!" Nami's voice interrupted him. He turned, finding her clinging to the lightning rod of his palace. Most of her crewmates called her name from below worridly. "Give it up! You can't win against us!"

"Nami!" Luffy gaped. "What the Hell are you doing? Get somewhere safe!"

"Shut up, Luffy! I have just as much right to protect you as you do me!"

"Nami!" Chopper and Coby yelled from below. "The dynamite's all set!"

"Dynamite?!" Shiki gasped. "You placed dynamite?"

"That's right!" Nami answered, stabilizing herself against the wind with her Clima-Tact. "The palace, the lab, the whole island, too! We'll blow it all to Hell! Your plans are over! Give up!"

"Don't fuck with me!" Shiki roared, raising two mountains from either side of the island. "I've spent 20 years on this plan, far too _fucking_ long for it to be destroyed by one tiny, _pitiful, weak_ crew from the _motherfucking East Blue!"_ Shiki pulled his hands together, the floating chunks of rock doing the same.

"Billy, get Nami!" Luffy ordered, jumping off the bird. The gigafowl swooped in, grabbing the navigator a fraction of a second before the earth could crush her. The miniature mountains shattered, raining dust and rock on the fleeing Straw Hat crewmembers below.

"Stupid guitar," the blond snarled.

"Your fight is with me!" Luffy shouted. "Third Gear: Bone Balloon!" Blowing air into his arm, Luffy transferred that air into his leg and flipped, raising it into the clouds. Down on the ground, his crew fired every electrical charge they could into the clouds around him while running to their ship.

"The Hell?" Shiki blinked, surprised by the absurdity of the situation. "Didn't I kill you? Just die already!"

"I'm not the one who's gonna die here, Shiki! This is what you get for threatening my home, my crew, and my wife!" Luffy's foot began its decent, lightning striking it. A black substance of some sort, something Luffy remembered having been called Haki, grew from the point of the lightning, almost conducting the charge until it covered his leg.

"I am the most powerful person in the world!" Shiki denied. "You can't beat me!" Raising lances of earth from the island below, Shiki covered them with his own Haki and launched them at the descending kick in a continuous stream of earthen spears. The dirt did little more than spark, breaking up on contact. His attack failing, Shiki tried to protect himself by raising an entire slab from the ground below as a shield.

"Elephant Thor Ax!" Luffy roared.

"Not like this... ROGER!" Shiki screamed as the foot smashed through the old pirate's defenses, driving him into the island which shattered under the force. The Sunny launched with a Coup de Burst as the cracks in the ground spread beneath the ship, simultaneously activating the dynamite spread throughout Shiki's palace.

Luffy panted, losing his Third Gear as the buildings and island below exploded. Mushroom clouds of orange, green, purple, and every other rainbow of colors bloomed from the buildings, the chemicals within riding the dynamite's shockwaves. Unable to control his decent, Luffy vanished into the colored clouds.

"Billy!" Billy took to the air, leaving the Sunny and the pirates calling his name behind as he flew into the dustcloud colored with the chemicals and antidotes from Indigo's factory. The Thousand Sunny floated, Shiki's flag having become nothing but a parachute to hold it aloft as massive chunks of island rubble rained around it. All was still.

Finally, after a minute of quiet, Billy appeared from the cloud, Luffy's tiny form perched on his back.

"That's what I'm talkin' about!" Franky cheered, Usopp and Merry spinning beside him.

"Thank goodness I'm the only dead one here," Brook cried, clasping Chopper's hooves in his hands. Chopper nodded through his happy tears.

"I can't believe we pulled it off!" Amy shouted, grabbing Gin and kissing him without thinking about it. She didn't seem to realize what she'd done, releasing his static-y form and cheering. Gin crashed to the deck, static pulsing over his form in time with his heartbeat.

Coby slumped against the railing, Grace falling next to him. Both of them were asleep before their heads hit anything to rest on, namely each other.

"He did it!" Usopp yelled, throwing and catching Merry like a father would their child. "He saved everyone in the East Blue!"

"He still looks stupid like that, though," Sanji muttered around a cigarette and a smile.

"Yeah," Nami whispered, tears running down her face, as Billy landed with the sleeping form of their captain. "Yeah he does."

"Mrs. Nami?" Merry asked, hugging Billy's neck. "Can we keep him?"

Nobody noticed the form of Shiki as his unconscious body sank beneath the waves far below. Nor did they see any of his followers unfortunate enough to fall from the crumbling island and join him. Without Shiki's powers to hold them aloft, the islands began to fall, plummeting toward the sea below.

"What about Xiao?" Chopper gasped.

"I think you'll find your answer up there," Robin smiled, pointing to a flock of humans with feathers on their arms. The people were flying, dancing through the air in celebration.

"The IQ in the explosion must have finished their evolution!" Chopper breathed, more to himself than anything.

"Amazing," Nami sighed, collapsing into the furry doctor.

"Nami!"

Down below, the islands finally reached the sea, churning the ocean into a watery Hell of massive waves as the islands settled into place. A fleet of Marine ships watched the spectacle, many of their brigs already full of the pirates that had tried to run.

"That's the Straw Hat Pirates!" one of the Vice-Admirals yelled, pointing to the descending ship. "Prepare to fire! Capture them!"

Try as the marines did, the Straw Hats slipped from their fingers, much to the lament of both the marines and their prisoners.

* * *

Chopper cleared Nami from bedrest a couple days later, though he told the others she was still weak from some lingering Daft Green particles. She emerged onto the deck from the doctor's office clad in one of Luffy's oversized shirts. Production of a nest for Billy slowed to a stop as the younger members of the crew swarmed her, asking how she was.

"I'm fine," the navigator insisted, brushing Coby, Grace, and Merry off. "Honest. I feel great." Sensing something, the younger members parted as Luffy approached them.

"Hey," he said, holding out her wedding band and baby den-den. "I think you dropped these." Taking her hand, the captain gently replaced them on her ring finger and wrist. Nami just couldn't help herself, jumping into his arms and kissing him like the world depended on it. The rest of the crew smiled as he swung her around.

This was one more victory toward their goal of making Luffy the King of the Pirates.

* * *

"Damn," Fleet Admiral Sengoku hissed, lacing his fingers before his mouth. "We didn't make a single difference, did we?"

"Nope," Vice-Admiral Garp grinned, crunching on a rice cracker. "My grandson handled it, though. What do you think? Is this enough to offer him that position?"

"I doubt he'll accept," Sengoku growled back, glaring at the crumbs his friend was leaving behind. "Or even answer. You realize him turning the invitation down will result in the raising of some of his crew's bounties, correct? Not the Supernovas, but some of the others like his wife at least."

"Bah, he'd see either way as a good thing."

"Garp, this is the last time I indulge your fantasies of your grandkids becoming Marines. Both of them have proven to be too much of a thorn in the Marines' collective ass, just like your son. As I see it, either he accepts and we get rid of Moria, or he refuses, nothing changes, and we're still stuck with that dick-shaped gecko. I will offer Straw Hat two chances before Portgus D. Ace's execution."

Garp frowned. "So you're really going through with it?"

"Yes," Sengoku replied, stamping a message and sending it away. "I am."

 **End of Chapter 118**

* * *

 **That's it for the Strong World movie; I hope you all enjoyed the ride! Up next we'll be moving into the Sabaody Archipelago, after a quick, canonical detour to the Flying Fish Riders. I'm open to all suggestions (though no promises about them happening) and requests for Omakes. For those of you that follow _That Night in Skypia_ , I'm currently working on a scene from Little East Blue. If enough of you ask, I might do other pairings, though those will be non-Canon events and I will pick-and-choose.**

 **Read and Review!**

 **-SwordOfTheGods**


	121. Announcement

Hey all. It's SwordOfTheGods here. This isn't a chapter, unfortunately, but I wanted to let you know I haven't abandoned or forgotten about this. I promised myself before I started posting this that I would never upload chapters until I had the entire arc done. I did so with Thriller Bark, I did so with Strong World, and I will do so with Sabaody.

That being said, my muse refuses to sing at the moment, despite my best efforts. And with school starting back up, my writing time is down, too. I'll keep working on this, little by little, but I can't give you any exact dates.

I think about this every day, you know. I wonder where I want to take these characters, what changes the new members will get based on where they go, and how those changes will impact the story, because they _will_ impact the story. I know what awaits them. I just need to get them there. I just need some time to get my thoughts together.

 _But I will be back. I can promise you that as wholeheartedly as Luffy declaring he will be the King of the Pirates._

Wait for me, and I will return. If not by spring, then by summer. I should be back on track by then.

Sincerely,

SwordOfTheGods


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